How Putin’s long war is destroying the fabric of Russian society
https://www.yahoo.com/news/putin-long-war-destroying-fabric-140000172.html
Russia has a long history with alcoholism. But after the fall of the Soviet Union, drinking was in decline.
Now, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, official figures show alcohol addiction is surging again for the first time in a decade.
Vodka sales this year surged to a record high and policymakers are scrambling to halt a rise in alcohol-related deaths.
What has changed is the war. Broadly speaking, the country’s economy is holding up. High demand from the army means Russia is close to full employment and although much trade has been sanctioned, the Kremlin has been able to substitute most goods.
But underneath all of this, it is becoming increasingly clear that the fabric of Russian society is falling apart.
When President Vladimir Putin met with mothers of deceased soldiers in 2022, he told them it was better that their sons died fighting in Ukraine than if they had died from drinking at home.