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Paul Holmes · VIP Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 958

Bullied Russian soldier dies in hospital
DMITRY SOLOVYOV

Reuters

February 13, 2008 at 10:18 AM EST

MOSCOW — A Russian conscript severely beaten by a fellow soldier 13 months ago died in hospital on Wednesday, drawing attention to widespread hazing in the Russian army.

Roman Rudakov's case hit headlines last year and embarrassed Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov, then widely rumoured to be on a short list of candidates to succeed President Vladimir Putin when he steps down later this year.

The soldier who beat Mr. Rudakov was given a three-year suspended sentence. The court agreed with prosecutors that Mr. Rudakov's health deteriorated sharply because of an undiagnosed blood disease, not because of the beating.

Russian media said Mr. Rudakov had been awaiting an intestine transplant when he died in Moscow's Burdenko Military Hospital.

Tatyana Znachkova, chairwoman of campaign group The Soldiers' Mothers' Committee, said Mr. Rudakov's death was a small part of a grim picture of poor army discipline.

"Nowadays, in peaceful times, between 3,000 and 3,500 Russian soldiers die each year, according to our estimates," she told Reuters. "This includes various accidents and suicides."

Particularly worrying and deep-rooted is hazing — bullying of conscripts by older soldiers, dating back to Soviet days.

"We have been dealing with this problem for 15 years, trying to eradicate hazing, but such cases are only getting more and more numerous," Ms. Znachkova said.

"How can you possibly put an end to this if those children coming to serve in the army happily kick each other in the face or smash testicles, or cripple or hang one another?"

Rampant crime and a shortage of conscripts often push draft officers to enroll recently freed convicts.

"Five or seven years ago my hair stood on end when I learned that even in such a division as Dzerzhinsky they can enroll those with criminal records," Ms. Znachkova said, referring to an elite Interior Ministry unit deployed outside Moscow.

The rapid rise of social inequality in modern Russia means that badly educated children from poor families are often drafted, while richer families dodge service in the army.

Russia is trying to create a modern, mobile army of professionals who sign contracts with the Defence Ministry and are eager to serve long terms for good pay.

Ms. Znachkova said a disciplined, professional Russian army was a dream. "Nothing will change — our committee is already getting complaints that a contract soldier who joined the army half a year earlier is taking a younger soldier's pay."

"Hazing is like a perpetual motion machine, and the general moral degradation of society is what keeps it running."

CAjules · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:05 am Post subject: Re: Who wants to join the army?

[quote="Paul Holmes"]Bullied Russian soldier dies in hospital
DMITRY SOLOVYOV

Reuters

February 13, 2008 at 10:18 AM EST

MOSCOW — A Russian conscript severely beaten by a fellow soldier 13 months ago died in hospital on Wednesday, drawing attention to widespread hazing in the Russian army.

.....

How do Russians view the army now? Has its role changed in the public's eye in the past few years?

jo jo 7 · Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 3:15 pm Post subject:

It seems hazing is not just in America, but in Russia as well...this is such a serious issue in the military. You would think that this would be something that all military's could control by having serious sentencing for their action or putting men in a military prison, having their ranked pulled ect....

Paul Holmes · VIP Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 958

An average Russian kid will pay a bribe of year's salary to avoid the army. Unless you are an officer, it is shit.

mister_wizzz · VIP Joined: 27 May 2004 Posts: 559

There is no hazing in US Army, and more generally in any Occidental army either.

Being in the Russian army is like being in a jail, the strongest ones rules the weakest. It is a simple question of survival.

For those who really want to do a military carreer they don't do it in Russia, I guess that's why the French Foreign Legion is full of Russians...

jo jo 7 · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:58 pm Post subject:

mister_wizzz · VIP Joined: 27 May 2004 Posts: 559

jo jo 7 · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:30 pm Post subject:

mister_wizzz · VIP Joined: 27 May 2004 Posts: 559

"Hazing is hazing" : what a dumb comment...

Sorry I make a difference between light hazing (like cleaning the toilets) and being sent to hospital because a heavy beating.

It is obvious you don't know what you are talking about.

Paul Holmes · VIP Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Posts: 958

I have to agree with Mr Wizz. Life with a Russian Army is very poor.

jo jo 7 · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:40 pm Post subject:

jo jo 7 · Posted: Tue Feb 26, 2008 11:44 pm Post subject:

gomer · WayToRussified Joined: 30 Mar 2007 Posts: 430

mister_wizzz · VIP Joined: 27 May 2004 Posts: 559

mentat · Frequent Guest Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 18

It is really bad place now and should be reformed.
The problem is the army has no prestigie in russian society now. Low salary, poor officer's appartments ...
But 12-20 years ago army has much more prestigie.
Well, It looks like our society becomes pacifist and wantn't to keep big modern army ...