On Sunday, a letter from the Sverdlovsk regional government in Russia’s Ural region, addressed to V.A. Koksharov, president of Ural Federal University, began circulating on social media.
The sender stated that, following the directive of the Sverdlovsk Deputy Governor, the regional education and youth policy departments proposed the following. The proposal suggested promoting enlistment contracts with the Russian Armed Forces for students who failed academic requirements, received warnings, face expulsion, are on leave, or are scheduled to return.
As the letter spread on social media, it sparked criticism from Western and Russian netizens. An English-speaking user sarcastically remarked that failing exam results in being sent to the front lines. A Russian user expressed disdain for the sender and suggested they should be contracted for three years in the military. Some Russian users also highlighted that young people in Ukraine are facing forced conscription.
