Spring army conscription starts in Russia

Spring army conscription started in Russia on April 1 in keeping with a presidential decree. In the period from April 1 to July 15, some 153,200 young men aged 18–27 will be drafted into the Armed Forces. According to the Foreign Ministry press service, this represents a decrease of 2,370 persons from the same period of last year when 155,570 young men were drafted. Of that number, 49,700 are specialists (32.5 percent of all draftees), and 46,800 young men have trained in military-related skills at various organsiations, schools and DOSAAF clubs. Some 18-19 percent of draftees have higher education. Three hundred and seven draftees will join 1,101 young men who are currently undergoing civilian substitute service. Deputy Chairman of the Russian Army General Staff, Colonel-General Vasily Smirnov said the Defence Ministry would pay special attention to the selection of conscripts. Medical examination boards reject almost 30 percent of young people on the average for ill health; 69.9 percent who reported to the call-up commissions last year were found fit for military service without limitation or with minimum limitations. There were 67.7 percent of such conscripts in 2011. The current conscription campaign will be taking place amidst efforts to increase the number of people serving in the army under contract. “By the end of the year, their number will increase to 241,000 and to 425,000 by 2017,” Smirnov said. Another novelty is that conscripts will have their monthly allowances paid to their bank cards. The conscription campaign will go under close public supervision. Last autumn, more than 1,650 representatives of public organisations and 11,100 parents were involved in this work.