Young job seekers are encouraged to pull down embarrassing and unprofessional photos from their social media sites to present a more respectable face for potential employers. The consequences are far more concerning for a 24-year-old Russian soldier whose Instagram photo posts could negatively impact global relations but proving that Russian forces are manipulating a Ukraining civil conflict by operating in the area.
Alexander Sotkin, a communications specialist in the Russian army, posted two photos to his Instagram account that were geo-tagged inside Eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists hold control, according to Buzzfeed. The United States and Ukraine contended that rebels shot down Malaysia Airlines flight 17 on July 17 with a Russian-made missile system.
Sotkin's first photo (below) within the Ukraine was posted on June 30, near the village of Krasna Talychka. He captioned the photo, "night gatherings ... working up a sweat # army # night # ucheniya2014 Us."
His next correspondence in the rebel-controlled area came on July 5, in the village of Krasnyi Derkul. He captioned that photo, "time to sleep! # army # ucheniya2014 # night # sleep # SELF."
According to his Instagram photo map, 32 other pictures were taken nearby, at what Buzzfeed speculated to be Sotkin's unit's base in Voloshino, Russia. The Western media's use of the photos and others like them have some lawmakers in Russia's lower house of Parliament calling for limited use of apps like Instagram and Twitter for the country's military personnel.
"We consider it necessary to limit the authorization to use the Internet for the military in order to avoid falling into a worldwide network of any information of a military nature, since it can be used by the Western media for purposes of provocation," Vadim Solovyov, head of the legal service of the Communist Party, said, according to Russian news outlet Izvestia.
The legislation would not limit the use of social media for personal uses, such as sending messages and other correspondence.
Sotkin's other selfies revealed him "working on a Buk" missile launcher, the same device reportedly used to shoot down flight MH17. No evidence proves Sotkin was directly involved in the plane crash, according to Buzzfeed.
