A Russian soldier greets a babushka
Here at Russia Blog, we have written frequently about the so-called dedovshina (literally "rule of the grandfathers") abuse in the Russian army as one of the most egregious ongoing human rights abuses in Russia. Now it appears the Russian government is very slowly starting to do something about it.
Not only have more torture and abuse cases been prosecuted in recent months (mostly due to public outrage after exposes in the Russian media), but the Defense Ministry is starting to address the root of the problem: namely, bored, impoverished young men who have no desire to be stuck on army bases in the middle of nowhere, trying to survive in brutal condiitions that amount to indentured servitude. Making the Russian army an all-volunteer force, with decent (at least by the standards of Russia's regions) salaries might go a long way in preventing torture and abuse in the ranks before it starts.
Click on the extended post to read the full news story from RIA Novosti and links to previous Russia Blog posts on this topic.
A delegation of Russian soldiers travelling abroad
Contract Soldiers to Fill 45% of Slots in Russia Military by 2008
MOSCOW, March 28, 2007 (RIA Novosti) - About 45% of the soldiers and NCOs in Russia's Armed Forces will be serving on a contract basis by January 1, 2008, a deputy chief of the General Staff said Wednesday.
Col.-Gen. Vasily Smirnov said that at present there were 195,000 contract servicemen in the Russian military.
More than 30 Land Forces units have already been transferred to a contract basis, the commander-in-chief of the Land Forces said.
"These are primarily permanent-readiness units," Army Gen. Alexei Maslov said.
Earlier this month, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree reducing draft service from two years to one, starting in 2008.
Former Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said in January that a large part of the Russian Armed
Forces will still be manned by conscripts in the future, and that only units on constant combat readiness will be fully manned by contract servicemen.
The Defense Ministry said recently that the Armed Forces have been downsized to a current level of 1,134,000 personnel, and that Russia would continue gradual strength reductions to achieve a level of 1,000,000 by 2010.
Click on the links below to read more on this topic, or scroll down through the Human Rights section of Russia Blog (www.russiablog.org/humanrights):
First Verdict in the Case of Private Andrei Sychev
More Russian Army Absurdity
Russian Army Desperately Needs Reform
Genocide or Stupidity?
Russian "Accidents" of the Day
You can also watch the music video of a popular song from the 1990s by the Russian band Ruki Verkh (Hands Up).
Ruki Verkh - "My Baby" (Kroshka Maya)
Руки Верх - "Позови менÑ"
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