Russia Welcomes Her New Soldiers: Century-Old Tradition of Military Enlistment Still Strong Today
Exactly 100 years ago today, Soviet Russia founded the military registration and enlistment offices They are simply called 'draft offices' where the path to the army begins for young recruits. The primary task of the draft offices is to staff the armed forces, and in a broader sense, to ensure the national defense capability Right now, it's the height of the spring draft campaign in Russia. This year, 128,000 young men will be conscripted for military service.
Maria Saushkina observed the process.
The first recruits are seen off at the Krasnoyarsk platform. There is the National March music, kisses, and smiles. Women see their soldiers off with unabashed pride. They'll come back stronger and braver than before.
Stanislav Selyutin has been coming to the draft office for four consecutive years. All of his previous attempts to enroll in the Army have failed. The neurologist didn't find him fit for service because of one thing. This time, the medical draft board will have to give in. Those who were denied recruitment due to health issues finally have a chance. Time went by, he got better, he feels healthy. He possesses a great desire to be drafted.
Recent high school graduates answer questions on a psychological test in the next room, which is another innovation of this year. The recruits are selected considering their abilities and inclinations.
Stanislav Selyutin, an MAI Magister: "I already got my degree. I plan to get into scientific crime detection".
Stas dreams of serving at the scientific station. There are 12 of them in Russia. In the Zhukovsky-Gagarin Air Force Academy, Voronezh, recruits greet us with scientific presentations. The scope of engineering ideas boggles the mind. For instance, a laser system which detects defects on the glass surfaces of planes and helicopters. The beam can easily see what the human eye can't. This will help prevent air disasters.
A recruit: "The beam is conducted. The matrix that fixates it is on the other side of the relay panel. With this laser beam, the results are displayed on the monitor".
Aleksey Knyazev, the head of a drafting branch: "We have registered 127 new innovations. This is a rather serious scientific achievement. We also have over 1,000 innovation proposals".
The science station is somewhat of a grad school for college graduates and the place where the recruits serve their time. All year round, conscript soldiers with college degrees practice science under the supervision of the faculty here. Their developments will be useful to more than just the defense industry of the country.
The first tank regiment, created in 1941, was revived a little over a year ago. Over 100 units of the latest combat vehicles were delivered here. For example, this T-72B3 tank. The T-14 Armata is expected here soon.
Vyacheslav Chuykov, the Deputy Chief of the 1st Motor Division: "It's an AGTM firing".
Today, the training grounds of the 2nd Guards Motor Rifle Division has state-of-the-art equipment. Military conscripts sign contracts and stay here to pursue a career. Tanker Yevgeniy Zhalnin switched over to contract service after 10 months of involuntary service. He really wanted to get promoted. He admits that he fell in love with the T-72B3 tank for its beauty and can't part with it now.
Yevgeniy Zhalnin: It has a soul, it just takes some getting used to.
- What's its soul like?
- It's gentle.
- Gentle?
Yevgeniy is a district stage tank biathlon champion. But there are new boundaries. Yevgeniy has set his target, and he hits it every day with enviable marksmanship and eagerness, so that the Russian tanks at global stage will be praised as being without equal. And the war machine will help him; they're an extension of each other.
Yevgeniy Zhalnin: "I have a lot coming my way, like the World Tank Biathlon Championship. I want to win it".
The garrison town of the 2nd Guards Motor Rifle Division is a work of beauty. The commissary and the cafeteria are just like European pubs. However, these soldiers have other things on their minds, they're ones you would want to share a foxhole with.
- Is it dangerous to be a spy? One might get poached, convinced to defect.
Aleksandr Napadenin, a soldier in the 2nd Guards Motor Rifle Division: "You can't poach Russians, we fight for our country to the very end".
Current recruits are used to doing everything until it's done. In Krasnoyarsk, the recruit's parents obviously didn't expect such vigor from their son.
Anatoly Schelkanov, the father of recruit Semyon Schelkanov: "He told us he's applying to serve in the Presidential Regiment, and he needed our certificates of employment. I asked him why he was doing it, he said, 'Because I want to.' So, I told him to do what he wants".
Stas's fate for the next year was decided at the draft committee meeting. Selyutin Stanislav Evgenyevich, born on 11 February 1994, has been found fit for service. Moreover, he was sent to where he wanted to go. Meanwhile, in the science station of the Voronezh Air Force Academy, they were singing traditional songs about their homes.
The first 7,000 recruits have already begun their service. A total of 128,000 Russians will serve in the Navy, the Russian Aerospace Forces, and the Army.
Maria Saushkina, Inna Kazantseva, Oleg Makarov, Kirill Puzyrny, Timur Altynbaev, and Andrey Karpenko. Vesti News of the Week.