Shipping Out

The spring draft has begun. Between now and the end of June, some 166,000 young Russian men will have been drafted into the army for a two-year stint.

While Russia has no plan to abolish the draft, it has been professionalizing various units, to mixed success. Meanwhile, in Western Europe, aside from Germany and the Scandinavian countries, the trend away from conscription is clear. Spain, Belgium and France have all gone to a professional army; Italy will have one by 2006, and Austria and Greece are both seriously debating the move; Britain has not had conscription since the 1950s. In Eastern Europe, conscription is still in place, yet there is dissent in the ranks: the Czech army will be professionalized next year.

The length of service is also longer in Russia than in any other country in Europe (Georgia also has a 24 month term), where the norm is one year or less.

Alternative civil service, in lieu of service in the military, has begun to be implemented in Russia, but the State is making it hard for young Russian men to take advantage of it. The Law On Alternative Service came into effect on January 1, 2004 (it was passed in the summer of 2002), but proved useless from the outset: the law requires draftees to apply for alternative service six months prior to the start of the draft campaign. The spring draft began in April, just three months after the law came into effect. To qualify, draftees would have had to apply for alternative service back in October, before the law had come into effect and before the six-month advance notice provision was stipulated.

What is more, the law penalizes those who seek alternative service, requiring them to serve three-and-a-half years instead of the two required in the army. In Germany, where 30% of youth opt for alternative service, just 9 months of duty are required.