Yeugeny Nikolaichuk. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The autumn draft campaign is taking place in Russia. Objectors and their tricks are not its main problem anymore and the majority of recruiting offices manage to fulfill plans. Unfortunately, employees of recruiting offices in the North Caucasus are not happy – their contingent is not demanded by the Russian army.
The autumn drafting appeared to be less scaled than the spring drafting. The deputy head of the Russian General Headquarters, Vasily Smirnov, said that since October 1 to December 31, 2012, 140 100 people will be recruited. In spring there were 155 570 draftees.
The number of draftees should reduce by 10%, and it has to influence positively the quality of the drafted contingent. However, we will see it only in late January when the Defense Ministry will sum up results of the drafting campaign. At the moment, a sad picture is observed: the military commands don’t want to see draftees from the North Caucasus among recruits.
We get used to see that any Russian young man tries to avoid recruiting to the army. The number of objectors is growing. But few years ago nobody could think that the army itself will skirt draftees. However, it is a fact – since 1991 the Defense Ministry actually rejected drafting in Chechnya, and since 2011 – in Dagestan. This autumn only 179 people were recruited in the republic.
The military forces have problems of recruiting – the reduction of the service term to 1 year influenced the situation. In the Caucasus the situation is opposite – people give bribes for getting to the army. But military men refuse. The reason is obvious: commanders believe that army hazing and crimes are caused by the Caucasus natives.
There used to be a proverb in old times: one Chechen in a troop – a glad hander; two Chechens – country fellows; three Chechens – the troop is uncontrolled. However, the Soviet Army’s experience proved that the order in such “inter-ethnic” troops was supported by Chechens who didn’t allow inter-ethnic hatred. Hazing began when recruited draftees were of the same origin. All sins which are typical for young people of not only Russia marked themselves.
Commanders get used to think that many representatives of the Caucasus republics are addicted to demonstrative humiliation of comrade-in-arms who are not natives of the mountains. The main difference is that they always keep together which is not peculiar for Slavic people who prefer to group according to other aspects.
Often commanders of troops and units are not satisfied with their working conditions and feel no enthusiasm about their profession. Such notions as “patriotism”, “political-military work” and even “military discipline” disappeared. And it doesn’t depend on the environment, whether it is mono-ethnic or multi-ethnic.
Nevertheless, military officials decided to cope with the problem in a simple way: they let young people from the Caucasus republics not to serve in the army. A negative response in the society is understandable: Vladimir Putin justifies money transfers to the Caucasus, stating on equality of all regions. Now it is found out that residents of the North Caucasus have the same number of rights, as for duties, they have one fewer.
It is interesting that military men accuse the authorities of the North Caucasus military district of “the Caucasus problem.” At the same time, young people from the Caucasus want to service. This spring Chechnya saw first drafting in 20 years, but only the best were taken to the army. There were as many candidates as in a prestigious university – 100 people for one place. Draftees stayed in the republic – they are not demanded in Big Russia, even though the army for them is a career rather than a duty. Dagestan youth wants to be recruited too. Probably the renewed Defense Ministry will pay attention to the problem and change the situation.
