Russia: June 19, 2005

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Conscription is becoming a major failure. So many kids are evading the draft, that police are being assigned to go and hunt down enough draft dodgers so that the local government can meet its quota. Only about 20-25 percent of each years new group of 18 year olds are needed by the military, and those who dont go are those who get a legal exemption (go to college, have a pregnant wife), or pay a bribe. The rest can just not show up, and hope to avoid the police sweeps. While about half of those who do go are willing, even eager, to serve the country, the rest are not. This causes serious morale and performance problem. This is made worse by sending many of the eager conscripts to sensitive security jobs (guarding nuclear weapons, or other high value items), commando units or other security type jobs. This leaves combat and support units with a majority of conscripts who feel like they are in prison, and act accordingly. This situation is putting more pressure on the government to speed up the program of abolishing conscription, and going over to an all-volunteer system, as found in places like the United States.  

 

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