Another week brings two more horrible stories about senseless brutality in the Russian army. This time one of the victims is 19-year old Radik Habirov from Kazan, who was brought in to a local hospital weighing only 65 pounds and is now in a coma. This is the worst case of documented abuse in the Russian Army since the widely reported case of Pvt. Sychev six months ago. Last week in Moscow more details emerged from closed hearings about the extent of Pvt. Sychev's mutilation. Even Army doctors accustomed to seeing scars and broken bones from abuse have been shocked at how severely Pvt. Sychev was tortured by his comrades.
Army doctors had tried to cover up the crime, blaming the loss of Sychev's legs on a pre-existing medical condition, but a civilian panel of medical examiners concluded that Sychev was gang raped in the barracks while taped to his bunk. After being sodomized repeatedly, he was forced to do squats, then made to hold in the squatting position for hours, until he lost circulation in his legs. By the time he was brought to a hospital, doctors could only save Sychev's life by amputating his legs and genitals.
Warning: Graphic Photos in the Extended Post
When Radik Habirov was delivered to a Kazan hospital, neither military physicians nor officers were eager to explain to his father what had happened in military division # 96504. Marat Habirov, Radik's brother told journalists right away what had happened -- "dedovshina" (torture from older soldiers and officers) is the reason his brother is fighting for his life. Saitgaray Habirov, Radik's father, raised both children on his own. When it was Radik's turn to face the army draft, a military physical found him to be in excellent health.
Radik had played sports all his life, and planned to get his education at the Kazan University of Aviation. Radik's older brother had been conscripted a few years before, and told him that while army life was very hard, it was better to get your service over with as soon as possible and get on with your life. Radik listened to this advice and didn't try to pay bribes or dodge the draft.
The last letter Radik's family received was mailed at the end of November 2005. At that time he was moved to another military base, with the promise that he would soon see some action in Chechnya. Shortly after the transfer, Radik's father was told that his son had disappeared; local police were checking his father's apartment to see if Radik would show up there. On February 28, Radik was found in a local hospital, weighing only 65 pounds and in a coma, after he had attemped suicide by hanging himself from a rope he tied from bed sheets.
When Radik's father sought justice, he went to the local draft board. Members of the draft commission laughed at the old man and advised him to go and demand justice at the military base. In response, the base command issued a short official statement, declaring that "Private Habirov had no known psychological problems while in service which could have led to him committing suicide."
Today Radik only reacts to pain and loud claps, and sounds that remind him of punches. Radik's father is desperate, but believes that his beloved son will wake up soon to tell his story. Pvt. Habirov's family has received no compensation of any kind from the state, so it's just Radik's father and babushka caring for the boy at home. Radik's Dad still believes that Defense Minister Ivanov will notice their family tragedy and finally punish the sadists who maimed his son and so many other boys.
There is no good reason why a Russian government awash in oil money cannot stop this brutality, and make the Army an institution the country can be proud of again, rather than a continuing source of shame.
Here are some short updates on documented cases of army abuse that we haven't previously covered:
June 28, 2006 -- the body of 18 year-old Dmitry Vshivtsev was shipped back to his hometown in Sverdlovskaya Oblast. Dmitry served on the Kuril Islands for six months and then shot himself in the head, after he could no longer cope with torture from his senior comrades. His family is trying to find justice but no arrests have been announced yet.
June 14, 2006 -- a 19 year old private was beaten and then thrown off a train by his comrades, leaving him for dead on the railroad tracks. The senior officer in charge of the re-location of the soldiers didn't notice the private's disappearance and reported the unit re-location as "successful". Railroad workers happened to find the private's broken body before the next train crushed him, and now his mother, while caring for his multiple injuries and broken bones and demanding justice.
Our goal here at Russia Blog is to show everyday Russian reality not only through analysis of today's news, but also through making the English-speaking world aware of the tragedies ordinary Russians face in the countryside. You can read our previous articles on this topic here:
- Genocide or Stupidity?
- Why Does Defense Minister Ivanov Still Have His Job?
- Medieval Russia
- The Nightmare of the Russian Army
- The Truth About the Army Draft
Radik's photo after being drafted
Radik in the hospital today...
Radik's army identity papers
Private Sychev at a Moscow hospital
this is horrible, i really hope Russia finds a way to deal with this soon... but somehow this cruelty that is passed from generation to generation is always hard to extinguish. and what makes it harder is that it's within a closed group. each army has it's own set of rules... who can really control them?
I am sickened and heartbroken. As a mother of four sons, I cannot imagine the terrible grief, pain and anger the parent(s) must feel. Yet they are completely powerless to protect their children from this torture. Nor do they have any recourse after unconscienable crimes have been committed against their babies.
This is a graphic Human Rights violation. The world has to know, and the entire military leadership needs to be held accountable.
Either the military becomes a professional organization, or it should be disbanded and destroyed.
What does President Putin say to all of this?
Perhaps Amnesty International should follow up with the Russian Army.
Is this information know among the common Russian people?
Man's inhumanity to eachother is heartbreaking and it's so hard to know how to make real change.
I shared this site with a friend, so he e-mailed me back:
That is sick! People who commit such acts, who enjoy torturing others most likely were raised in situations in which the caretaker(s) were predators. When a group does the torturing, as in this case, there's a leader and the others are drawn in as willing followers &/or are afraid; not to particiapte may result in torture. In any case, it's about people treating people evilly. This is beyond animal behavior. I'm not aware of an animal torturing another for sheer enjoyment (I don't suppose the cat thinks that playing with a mouse is torture, even if that's the mouse's experiece)
We agree with our reader's comment that while international attention has focused on an alleged crackdown on opposition dissent and freedom of the press in Russia, the real horrible human rights abuses taking place in Russia today are the ones Putin has thus far failed to stop, in the Army. Now that the oil and gas money is pouring into state coffers, Putin has no excuse not to speed up army reforms - including creating a decently paid professional officer and NCO corps and only having the conscripts for one year rather than two, so that the dedovshina will stop. An Army the nation could be proud of again would be the best legacy Putin could leave from the time he has left in office.
Hi April,
When I wrote the post, I was actually thinking about Amnesty International. I don't know what their current status is, their effectiveness and credibility, or the focus of their efforts.
How ironic that all this torture and maiming is going on while the world looks at St. Petersburg and the great 8. And not one mother's voice was heard to cry for the children in the military.
Hi, I've just come across your site & hope that it is able to help bring about justice for these soldiers. My attention was drawn to this outrage today after seeing on www.youtube.com footage of cruel & inhumane training techniques the Russian Army use. I would be happy to forward the two films from the site to your email, if it is able to help your cause. Nick. UK.
great to find your blog
I am an artist and have been following up how Sychev is
1. soldiers need pay
2. soldiers need housing
3. soldiers need ....
laws against assault and murder
it is not "hazing" its murder, and attempted murder
dont the courts in russia have these laws ?
Sychev, is a kid of 18,
and only at soldier school
there are tons of millionaires in russia
has this happened to their sons too ?
there is never an excuse , get the laws,
and stick to them
JHH
PS my prayers and thoughts go to Sychev, and his family
from artist in australia
I have been doing a research on the hammer and sickle on the insignia on the soldiers caps...
I wondered why the photos had cut off the caps....
I will send my artwork... and hope you can put it on here for Sychev
australian soldiers get treated well, with good pay, housing and everything..
and they are great soldiers...
and so are all the young men who have been in the russian army
laws should just cover all this
and a russian army would be proud
JHH...artist australia
hi all,
if russian soldiers dont have socks ?
why cant one of the moscow billionaires start a sock factory
and supply the army
it would make profits, permanently, and work
JHH
there is an armysurplus store online here in aussie
and they have socks...
good ones for severe winters
russian gov money could profit from this too ?
as well as having 18 year old kids without black feet
and gangrene ?
JHH
hope of help
hi all,
I have been researching russian soldier uniforms,
and I cant seem to find the compulsory uniform provided
if there is one of course
a soldier with black gangrene feet would not be too good in action ?
..........
I thought of a way they could stop the assault on 18 year olds
bring in immediate laws of
firing the unit head, if assault on 18 to 20 year olds is done
and increase the pay of unit heads, if they can prove their soldiers have good uniforms, housing
and are not assaulted or killed
JHH
soldiers come in all shapes and sizes
we dont have conscription here in australia
so the army offers great pay
and people can learn trades,
they can use once they leave the army too
hope of help
JHH
hi all,
just thought of something else
out here in australia we also get experts from other countries.... to help with
organising things, experts in their fields
this really helps too
because you get independent outsiders... to help with organising
our armies help in peace time all the time, from fires, to floods to any emergencies....
so armies are peace time helpers too
I am no expert, I just wish there was more input from russians, there has to be tons of bright ones about
regards to all
JHH
These children have no parents and powerless is a serious overstatement. Institutions exist in Russia to which soldiers can report their treatment the problem is culture wont allow these soldiers to do this. The fact is the military prosecutors office actively looks to prosecute these cases before they get this bad, but some continue to slip through the cracks and are never reported. The abused soldiers ofte refuse to report. Its very much like an abused wife refusing to report her husband. One cant say the institutions dont exist.
it was great days during the soviet union..Everyone was scared of the army(soviet army) .which is the backbone of any country.And Russia being the worlds biggest country needs more solders to partol them.intsead fighting among themselves, will weaken the Russian armed forces.ITS time putin took some initiative to do something about this.most of these crimes i think is done due to the frustration of the downfall of the soviet union.
Hi I am the writer of the Brazilian Blog: Blog do Dissidente, or in English: Dissident's Blog.
I had Used some of your images from the Russian Army because I wrote a post speaking about the situation of the Brazilian, American and Russian Army.
I invite you to read my Blog (sure it is in Portuguese, but You can translate it with Google) and give you congratulations for the excelent Blog you have.
Liverig
http://liverig.wordpress.com
I've always wanted to join the russian army but hearing this makes me ant to rethink what im doing but that is the way they teach them you have to respect how they train them and i have to tell ,I've seen lots of there videos an i want to say that those who make it and can handle those challenges are ready.But most of all it is'nt going well not only in russia but all over the world,so don't just attack russia's government cause they have more to deal with.p.s hope vevery goes alrite.um.....yes an also the russian army should be a little less harsh on there troops an watch out for the people who they see fighting,but most of all you are traning true soldiers not mama's boys
Reform in Russia's army is a priority, yet it will take tame and bullying will not disappear altogether anytime soon. Russia's army is one of the toughest armies in the world. Its training is brutal and very rigorous in practice. Hazing is widely practiced, in part to encourage little emotion among troops when it comes to combat situations. This has been practiced for hundreds of years in the country and it has often contributed to the army's image as a brutal and merciless fighting force that no one wants to get in the way of. Russia's army, historically, is not known for its humanitarian services. When calling the army into combat, the commanders and leaders must be aware of the brutal implications that will follow. Atrocities will most likely occur, as well as large scale destruction and oppression . Yet these factors have always attributed to the army's infamous image. And honestly, the leaders of Russia would not want it any differently. It is this image that makes Russia's army a threatening force for its neighbors. And the brutality of the army has attributed to the fact that very few want to encounter the Russian army on the move. Anyone standing in its way will most likely suffer the consequences. Yes hazing is problem, yes the army is a tough place, and yes it may remain for sometime. Yet it does not matter greatly, for this frame of thinking has held the army's image as a brutal, tough, yet effective fighting force in a conflict. Learning from their failures in the First Chechen War, they corrected their mistakes in the Second Chechen War. Despite the war was brutal and tactically intelligent, it was determined and inevitably successful. Citing the security situation in Chechnya compared to the situation in Iraq, casualties are low, prosperity is high among the population, and violence in the province is sporadic if existing at all . So in certain cases, the brutality of the army may have contributed to the quick turn around in the situation , when Western analysts expected a disaster. Son, in certain respects, the Russian army is more effective then the American army in certain cases.