|
|
#15
Rosbalt
Only 10.3% of Those Eligible for Military Service Will Actually Be Called up
in 2003
MOSCOW, April 10. Only 10.3% of those eligible for military service will
actually be called up in 2003. As a Rosbalt correspondent reports, this was
announced today by Major General Victor Kozhushkho, head of the General Staff's
draft directorate. 'This is the lowest figure in any European country where some
form of conscription exists,' he said. As a result, he said, there will be a
shortage of 40 thousand soldiers in the Russian army on June 1, 2003. In Mr
Kozhushko's opinion, the reason for this is 'the large number of unjustified
reasons for deferment from military service.'
He added that the Ministry of Defense is extremely concerned about the low
intellectual level of the new recruits: a quarter have only finished primary
school and 5% are convicted offenders.
BACK TO THE TOP  #252 CONTENTS NEXT ARTICLE
|
|
