Fall 1997 Russian Military Draft

Abstract

Abstract : This paper will examine the Fall 1997 conscription effort by the Russian military and use it as a prism to highlight some of the current problems within the Russian armed forces. The Russian government continues to rely upon conscription to staff its military and has just completed the autumn 1997 effort to replenish the ranks. According to the 1993 version of the Russian constitution, all Russian males between the ages of 18-27 are obligated to serve in the Armed Forces for a period of two years. Despite plans and initiatives to move toward a professional/volunteer military, the Russian government has been unable to abolish its conscript military manning system. The chief 4 obstacles remain within the realm of economics and tradition. There is little money to move toward a professional military, and the concept of mandatory military service remains entrenched within the Russian idea of citizenship. According to the latest Ministry of Defense reports, the Russian military was able to meet the 188,400 new recruit goal (113,000 to serve in the Armed Forces, with the remainder serving in the Border Forces, railway troops, and other ministries). However, even with this new influx of 5 recruits, the Army and Navy will be staffed to only 80 percent of enlisted strength requirements. There are a number of factors why the Russian military has difficulty drafting new soldiers: the reluctance of Russian youth to serve in the military, the numerous deferments available to the smart and well-connected, the shrinking draft pool and the poor health of the draft-age contingent, the inability or unwillingness of civil authorities to prosecute those who avoid the draft, confusion regarding alternate forms of service, lack of funding to carry out the conscription effort, and recent legislation which prohibits potential soldiers from being conscripted if they have a criminal record.