Moscow, Russia – today the Federation Assembly of the Russian Federation approved the deployment of military reconstruction teams to Lebanon. The deployment will consist of 307 privates, 19 ensigns and 49 officers. The decision received the unanimous vote of the Russian Senate. The troops are from a construction division of the Russian Army and their task for the next two months will be to rebuild six bridges recently destroyed by Israeli jets. If the reconstruction is not finished in eight weeks, the deployment will be extended.
The troops will bring with them 71 pieces of military and construction equipment and five bridges. Security for the project will be provided by 53 soldiers from the same unit. The Duma made it clear that the Russian army will not join the UN peacekeeping operation and will limit its presence in the region to only reconstruction and humanitarian operations. The troops left their hometowns today for Novosibirsk, where they will start loading transport planes on September 29. On October 11, the troops will begin their construction work in the Middle East, and are scheduled to return to Russia on December 11. The total budgeted for the operation, according to Russian General Bulgakov, is $3,800,000.
The deployed troops will consist of the army draftees, which is great news for the boys who are going. While abroad, the Russian habits of army brutality (dedovshina) and torture are left behind. Russian troops deployed abroad enjoy finally getting decent health care, good food and sleep. No one wakes them up in the middle of the night to run 10 miles, do hundreds of push-ups, or comply with the insane demands of their superiors.
This deployment appears to be a politically shrewd response to the situation in the Middle East. Russian military will be present in the region; it will perform important humanitarian tasks, but will not be associated with any side of the conflict.
