Russian Federation

Young men from Chechnya are being drafted into Russia's armed forces for the first time in 20 years. Chechen youth stopped being drafted to the Russian Army in late 1994, when the Kremlin sent the military into Chechnya to try to crush its separatist leadership. Some are claiming the lack of recruitment in the North Caucasus since then was 'discriminatory' against Chechen youth who wanted to defend the Russian 'homeland' of which they are citizens, and that the move to start recruiting them again is therefore progressive, a sign of 'political success' and inclusivity, though it cannot be denied that Russia's shrinking population and other problems are leading to a shortfall in army recruitment.

Meanwhile the Russian government are threatening to imprison a Lithuanian who left the Sovietarmy in 1990, after Lithuania declared independence from Russia. As a response, the Lithuanian State Security Department has advised the 1500+ Lithuanians who refused military service after 1990 not to travel to Russia.

Sources:

The Times, Russian threatens to jail hundreds of Lithuanians, 10 September 2014

 Russian News Agency

Russian News Agency

Jamestown Foundation

Faced with a high rate of draft evasion, Russia's military is trying to lure conscripts with new benefits, RIA Novosti reports. According to RIA Novosti, the government is considering to provide former conscripts with free training for university entrance exams, and grants for university graduates who are former conscripts to continue their education in Russian and foreign business schools. In addition, former conscripts will receive benefits when entering the state's civil service.

Faced with a declining number of men in the prime draft age group and increasing resistance even among them, the Russian defense ministry is calling for extending the length of time during which the spring draft will take place, drafting men as old as 30, reducing the number of deferments and bringing to justice those who illegally avoid service, Eurasia Review reported on 1 May 2010.

Rafael Uzcategui

On his most recent visit to Venezuela, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin revealed that the value of arms bought by the government in Caracas amounted to over five billion US dollars.

According to statistics provided by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in the past ten years, 77.6% of total arms imports to Latin American countries were from Russia. Amongst these acquisitions, Mi-17 and Mi-35 Sukhoi fighter planes , Kalashnikov assault rifles, and an agreement to install a factory which produces rifles and munitions, S-300 tanks, and anti-aircraft missiles.

A representative of the organisation Soldiers' Mothers of St. Petersburg told RFE/RL that they have received a large number of phone calls from people complaining that local military recruitment offices "are literally hunting for young men on the streets, in supermarkets, and the subway to forcibly enlist them into the army", RFL/RL reported on 22 December 2009.

CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 40 OF THE COVENANT

Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee

RUSSIA

CCPR/C/RUS/CO/6
29 October 2009

(...)

According to an article in the Financial Times, Russia aims to abolish conscription by 2012, as part of a modernisation of the Russian military. However, these reforms are contentious in Russia.

Submission to the 95th Session of the Human Rights Committee: March 2009 Summary

When the Human Rights Committee considered the Fifth Periodic Report of the Russian
Federation, in October 2003, it came to the conclusion: “While
the Committee welcomes the introduction of the possibility for
conscientious objectors to substitute civilian service for military
service, it remains concerned that the Alternative Civilian Service
Act, which will take effect on 1 January 2004, appears to be punitive
in nature by prescribing civil service of a length 1.7 times that

The Human Rights Centre calls for international organizations to quickly intervene diplomatically and restore the peaceful dialogue between the conflicting sides.

A statement by the Federation of Education, Science and Technical Workers, CRAS-IWA

The eruption of military actions between Georgia and South Ossetia threatens to develop into a large-scale war between Georgia supported by NATO on the one hand, and the Russian state on the other. Thousands of people are already killed and wounded – principally, peaceful inhabitants; whole cities and settlements have been wiped out. The society has beed flooded with muddy streams of a nationalist and chauvinistic hysteria.

The example of Russia

Olga Miryasova

The reference. There are two types of military service in Russia – professional army and obligatory military service. About 1,1 millions soldiers and officers serve in Russian army, about 30% of men in Russia pass through obligatory military service during their life. Until 1.01.2007 the call-up period was 2 years. Now it’s 1,5 years and it will be 1 year from 1.01.2008. Call-up age in Russia is from 18 to 27 years old.

Russia is not an easy country for radical activists. The tragic events from last weekend, when fascists attacked a protest camp at the nuclear enrichment plant in Angarsk, Siberia, attacking protesters with iron bars, knives, and pneumatic pistols, was only the last in a long series of fascist violence in Russia - and not the first in which an activist died.

During a visit of War Resisters' International to Russia in February and March, we could ourselves experience the permanent threat of fascist attacks for any kind of radical activity - be they a public talk or a punk concert.