Staffing the Army

The spring army draft is in full swing, and Russia’s young men are in for a few surprises. 

A January law reduced the length of the general draft from two years to one. Touted as a step toward an all-volunteer Russian army – referred to here as “contract service” – it also means greater effort will be required to fill army ranks. What is more, during this transitional period, there is the danger of exacerbating already catastrophic hazing conditions. This is because new, year-long draftees may serve alongside second-year enlistees not affected by the January law. “There are many cases of beatings, blackmail, and extortion in such situations,” said Maria Lebedeva of the Committee of Soldiers Mothers at a March press conference. 

Demographically speaking, this is not an auspicious year for meeting army staffing goals. Young men eligible for service this spring were born in 1991, during a period of record low birth rates in Russia – 10 births per 1000, according to UNICEF. Birthrates only began to rise toward normal levels in 2000. This spring, the draft’s “norm” (target) is 133,000 inductees, with another 250,000 in the fall, according to Yezhednevny Zhurnal. An estimated 1.5 million young men reach draft age each year. 

According to the Ministry of Defense, there are currently 140 thousand contract soldiers in the Russian army. Ministry plans call for 70% of the military to be “on a contract basis” by 2010. The total present manpower of the Russian army is just over one million troops.

Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov in April acted to aid the capital’s draft committees. He signed a decree directing city prefectures to aid the draft, while the police “must organize the timely location of persons eligible for the draft, and ensure their arrival at draft-related events.” Moreover, the city will reward government employees who “especially distinguish themselves” in helping meet the goals of the draft, New Times magazine said. 

Besides the police, the manhunt on city streets will be overseen by the Ministry of Defense and the Federal Migration Service. The three establishments signed a joint decree (prikaz) last September. What is more, the “hunting season” was this year extended by an additional 15 days, to July 15th – well-timed to allow draft notices to be sent to fresh college graduates, newsru.com noted.

The January law also reduced the number of draft deferments. Previously, there were 25 ways a young man could be excused from the army, including a pregnant wife, children under three, handicapped parents, work as a teacher or doctor in rural areas, or artistic talent. 

Young ballet dancers who previously joined theatre troupes at 18 will now have to serve. “I meet with ministers who ask me, ‘So what if he serves for one year?’” said Sergei Filin, head ballet instructor at Moscow’s Stanislavsky Theater in an interview with Svoboda Radio. “My answer is that, in one year, I will not have any use for this artist, nor will anyone else.”

Choreographer Marina Leonova echoed Filin’s sentiments. “I taught these kids, and now I’m supposed to put them on the bus and see them off? Soon all of our dancers will be Chinese.” 

The Soviet Union famously excused its shortcomings in various economic realms with its success in “rockets and ballet.” Clearly some fear that today Russia will be sacrificing success in the latter by fulfilling norms in the former.

– maria antonova