Positive experience and new categories: changes in the recruitment of contractors

Commanders of volunteer detachments sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense, June 2023.

In accordance with the current needs of the armed forces and plans for their further development, a few days ago, the law on military service under contract was changed again. According to these innovations, several new categories of volunteers are eligible for the contract. So, now it is allowed to enter the service of limited fit, persons with a criminal record and even prisoners.

In the recent past

Legislation and related guidance documents, both in the current edition and in previous ones, provide for a number of requirements for volunteers entering service under the contract. There are restrictions on age, education, health reasons, etc. In addition, until recently, the contract could not be signed by persons with a criminal record, not to mention those serving sentences.

However, last year, for the first time, prisoners had the opportunity to atone for their guilt with honest service. In autumn, it became known that the recruiters of the private military company Wagner were recruiting volunteers in correctional facilities. For some time this information was not confirmed, but later official information appeared.

Volunteer prisoners entered into a contract with PMCs, were trained and sent to the war zone. After several months of service, they received a pardon; at the same time, all the required procedures were carried out in accordance with the current legislation. For security reasons, presidential decrees pardoning such volunteers were classified as "secret". As it became known later, the first such document appeared in early 2023.

Also, at the beginning of the year, the recruitment of volunteers in correctional institutions was stopped. The management of the employing company claimed that a total of approx. 50 thousand people By June 2023, more than 30 have been released and are returning to normal life. There were no plans to resume the recruitment of prisoners by this time.

Obviously, now a private company will not recruit prisoners or simple volunteers. After the attempted rebellion on June 24, its prospects are vague, and the possibility of continuing activities and recruiting new fighters is in question.

Contract servicemen in training in the rear

New solutions

Almost immediately after the start of the Special Operation, the process of improving legislation and rules for recruiting contract soldiers started. So, about a year ago, the age limit for volunteers entering the service under a contract for the first time was canceled. As reported, this made it possible to strengthen the troops with more experienced specialists.

In recent weeks, new amendments have been prepared and introduced. So, according to the latest decisions of the country's leadership, by July 1, all volunteer formations must sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense. Due to this, the activities of such detachments will be regulated, and their members will receive all the rights and opportunities of the military personnel of the army. However, the transfer of such structures to a contractual basis has caused criticism in certain circles.

On June 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved new amendments to the Criminal Executive Code, as well as to the federal laws "On military duty and military service" and "On mobilization training and mobilization." In accordance with them, during the period of mobilization, martial law or wartime, several new categories of citizens who previously did not have such a right can become contract servicemen.

During the specified periods, the contract can be signed by citizens of Russia or foreign citizens recognized as limited fit for military service. Such volunteers must not have diseases from a separately defined list and meet other requirements for contract soldiers. The age limit for service in the specified periods has also been changed. So, senior officers will serve up to 70 years, all the rest - up to 65 years.

Now convicts and those serving sentences in places of deprivation of liberty can get into the army. Such a contractor, in accordance with the updated PEC, is released from punishment in the prescribed manner and can enter the service. However, not all prisoners and convicts can count on such a pardon option. The employment of persons who have committed the established range of crimes of various kinds, including crimes against minors, treason, terrorism, etc., is excluded.

For the purpose of growth

In August 2022, a decision was made to increase the size of the armed forces. From January 1, 2023, the total number of citizens in the service was to exceed 2 million. At the same time, the number of directly military personnel needed to be increased by 137 thousand people. and bring it to 1,15 million.

As part of the second stage of such a reform, planned for the near future, a new increase in the number of personnel will take place. The number of military personnel in units should reach 1,5 million people. At the same time, the number of contractors will almost double and reach 695 thousand people.

The size of the army, both in connection with the conduct of the Special Operation and in order to fulfill the plans drawn up, is being increased in various ways. So, last fall, a partial mobilization was carried out, which provided an additional 300 servicemen. A significant part of them have been participating in hostilities since last year. At the same time, an increase in the number of mobilized is no longer required.

In addition, the recruitment of volunteers for contract service continues. In mid-June, the president said that 156 thousand people had signed the contract since the beginning of the year. Every week, the army is replenished with several thousand new fighters. People go to the service, wanting to protect their country and their people, and also show an interest in monetary allowance and social security.

Now the military and political leadership has found new ways to expand the circle of potential contractors - restrictions on certain categories have been lifted. At the same time, for one of the categories of future military personnel, a special motivation is offered in the form of exemption from punishment for certain crimes.

According to the results of the experiment

It is easy to see that the armed forces did not immediately decide to admit those tried and convicted to military service. The corresponding decision and amendments to the laws were made only after such a practice was tested in a private company. Now these ideas are adopted by the army, which indicates the success of such an experiment.

Presentation of state awards to contract servicemen

According to known data, potential volunteer stormtroopers from places of deprivation of liberty in general showed interest in the proposal of PMCs. They quite actively enrolled in this organization and entered the service - of course, after the necessary verification. The Wagner detachments, partly staffed by former prisoners, showed themselves well in the responsible sectors of the front and made a significant contribution to the general processes of the demilitarization of the Kyiv regime. Interacting with the armed forces, they liberated the city of Artemovsk and inflicted serious losses on the enemy.

A significant number of fighters earned a pardon and remained in the service or went home. At the same time, fears about the worsening of the criminal situation as a result of these events, fortunately, did not materialize. As reported, only a few former stormtroopers decided to return to the slippery slope of crime. Others continue a normal life or wish to continue their service.

Recent amendments now allow convicts to enter into a contract with the Ministry of Defense and enter the service in units and units of the army. Despite the uncertain prospects of PMCs after recent events, these people will retain the opportunity to redeem themselves and receive pardon - now as part of a full-fledged military.

In the process of transformation

Thus, the armed forces of Russia, despite the conduct of a military operation, the need to contain a potential enemy and other factors, continue to develop. Thus, plans have been adopted and are being implemented to increase the number and improve the organizational structure. Contract servicemen should play a significant role in these processes.

The Ministry of Defense and other state organizations are taking various measures to attract volunteers, both for participation in battles and for service in the rear. Future servicemen are offered good conditions of service, allowances and provisions. In addition, some potential contractors will now be attracted by the opportunity to redeem themselves and become good citizens again.

Comments

[Alister kroulegg]

I hope that those convicted will be guarded in separate units, and not dissolved among volunteers

[The Wizard of Healthy]

Yeah, so it will be easier for them to put together a "group of persons by prior agreement." Magic idea :)

[Nastia makarova]

that's just not supposed to be in a separate detachment

[Alister kroulegg]

"a year ago, the age limit for volunteers was abolished. This made it possible to fill the army with specialists"
Ryabov does not change himself

[nepunamemuk]

I have a friend
he 77
wants to volunteer

[Sergey Aleksandrovich]

And let's, on this example, I will concentrate all the army idiocy in a concentrated form.
Actually, I propose to check the ability of a pensioner to perform a lift with a coup.
Actually, the norms of the TRP are not much better than the request to fulfill the rise with a coup.

[Dekimen]

The decisions are correct, and I agree with the author that the country needs PMCs, if only to ensure that experienced soldiers and officers who are disillusioned with the style and methods of leadership in the Defense Ministry and the General Staff are in demand as part of conditionally independent military formations. Even if outside the Russian Federation.

[Derbes19]

Acceptance of those convicted for service under the contract is the beginning of the end of the army. SA has already gone through a similar experiment.

[Sergey Aleksandrovich]

In the SA, the 40th Army spread such hazing that "mom don't cry", without any criminals.
So the key factor will be the selection of candidates. Psychologically, the most dangerous are the "gopniks", whether it is necessary to involve them is a big question.

[Sancho_SP]

Everything has already been thought of before us. The army should simply have special units, only not in the gray zone of legislation like a PMC, but completely in the legal field.
When did the French invent their foreign legion there?
Don't be shy, anything can happen.

[Ross xnumx]

Stop experimenting. They finished playing the “war game”, that they lost the right to be called the first, and then the second army of the world. One thing pleases that the human factor has remained unchanged, despite all the rewriting of constitutions, laws and orders ...
It is impossible to prepare a professional fighter from a young man with zero experience in military training in a year.
It is impossible to wage war in ancestral ways, plugging holes in the supply and imperfection of weapons by the citizens of their country, which are becoming smaller every year.
The pursuit of a professional army, and most importantly, the system of payment of monetary allowances, showed a number of flaws.
Only one thing is clear. Everyone who is fit for health reasons should serve in the army. All!!! I didn’t learn anything except spending daddy’s money - you will go to the assistants to specialists. You will "give-bring" with the appropriate payment ...
Junior officers (including sergeants) in the army must be professional.

[nepunamemuk]

Everyone who is fit for health reasons should serve in the army.

and the unfit to be treated
in a military hospital

[art having]

Why are you hysterical?
Many who have served their term will say that they have learned to carry, clean and steal well ..
I served in the security company shot 15 rounds in a year !!!
There is little sense from such fighters ..

[Aag]

Quote from Snay

Why are you hysterical?
Many who have served their term will say that they have learned to carry, clean and steal well ..
I served in the security company shot 15 rounds in a year !!!
There is little sense from such fighters ..

...Yeah... Sad.
Especially the fact that you have not even been taught normal communication with strangers (and older) people.

[nerd.su]

Quote from Snay

Many who have served their term will say that they have learned to carry, clean and steal well ..

Steal? There are no thieves in the army, there are crooks!

[Sancho_SP]

The main problem is that in addition to this, you still need to work. For five gunners with a cannon, another fifty people produce shells, diesel fuel, spare parts, and the like.

[Victor Leningradets]

Only one thing is clear. Everyone who is fit for health reasons should serve in the army. All!!! I didn’t learn anything except spending daddy’s money - you will go to the assistants to specialists. You will "give-bring" with the appropriate payment ...

Golden words, Yuri Vasilyevich!
I raised this topic twice, and quickly picked up minuses from the "mommies" and parasites of the new system.
In short, the army of combat personnel should be purely professional, staffed by contract soldiers who have completed military service and graduated from a military specialty school.
Officers must serve military service and graduate from a military institute with a degree.
All young men fit for health after graduating from secondary education should be called up for military service in the Airborne Forces in the fall. The call should be made once a year - in the fall. Six months - training, the next six months - the summer period of study, the last six months - the winter period of study. By the way, this will help to avoid hazing, since the calls will not overlap in the service. During the service, the paratrooper will gain skills in handling portable weapons, both domestic and captured, will receive full-fledged tactical training, will master the driving of military equipment in the initial stage and will receive a driver's license of the CE category. At the same time, systematic loafers and slobs are subject to exclusion from the ranks of the army, followed by loss of rights, as those who did not serve military service.
Those who have served their military service may choose to:
- enroll in a school for contract servicemen in the chosen specialty;
- enter a military institute on a competitive basis;
- to enter a university for the first year after passing an interview, except for a number of elite universities that require a high level of preparation.
For those who do not take care of their health and are not fit to serve in the Airborne Forces, who flew out of the army due to disciplinary indicators, these elevators become inaccessible. In addition, they should be subject to restrictions on admission to secret work.
In this way we would create a healthy core of society and make military service socially prestigious and attractive.

[Konnick]

All young men fit for health after graduating from secondary education should be called up for military service in the Airborne Forces in the fall.

And what about the Airborne Forces? in the Airborne Forces, half of the training time is spent on "psychological" landing training, and not on combat training.
And why should a young man capable of science and intelligence go into the army, forget what was taught at school? Are we supposed to fight with machine guns without using military equipment? So my son is engaged in very serious things in a very serious research institute, related to the development of very serious weapons, and he had to lose two years before starting his studies and, accordingly, to work? Go through the forest, the initiators of universal conscription, they are not fighting in a crowd with automatic weapons, but in a well-established structure, where not only soldiers, officers and generals, but the whole system as a whole. And in the Great Patriotic War, we won not by mobilization, by the way, there was one and not partial or general, but simply

“On the basis of Article 49 of paragraph “o” of the Constitution of the USSR, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR announces mobilization on the territory of the military districts - Leningrad, Special Baltic, Western Special, Kiev Special, Odessa, Kharkov, Oryol, Moscow, Arkhangelsk, Ural, Siberian, Volga, North - Caucasian and Transcaucasian. Persons liable for military service who were born with 1905 to 1918 inclusive. Consider June 23, 1941 as the first day of mobilization.

And there were no more decrees, but there were simply appeals of the appropriate ages, for example, my father, born in 1924, was called up in October 1942 as he turned 18, and due to the fact that his father, my grandfather died in August 42, he was called up for Pacific Fleet in the marines, away from the front. It was rare when people older than 1905 were born in the Red Army. Most had to work in the country's economy, smelting metal, extracting oil and coal, making tanks, aircraft and weapons. And the fact that women and children have replaced adult men ... these tales are already tired. The three-fold increase in steel smelting in the first two years of the war is far from women and children. And we won the war not due to mass conscription into the army, but thanks to the mobilization of the state economy.

[svp67]

Quote: Konnick

And why should a young man capable of science and intelligence go into the army, forget what was taught at school?

For such guys, there have long been scientific centers at the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

Quote: Konnick

Are we supposed to fight with machine guns without using military equipment?

Do you think that everyone can be entrusted with work with complex military equipment? Somehow there are also far from fools needed

Quote: Konnick

And the fact that women and children have replaced adult men ... these tales are already tired.

That is, the "fayzaychata" worked hard at the level of adults giving a plan, are these fairy tales for you ?????? Well, you know, there is a limit to everything.

[Konnick]

For such guys, there have long been scientific centers at the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

Do you want to compare the level of the Mechanics and Mathematics Department of Moscow State University with some scientific center at the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation?

[Konnick]

That is, the "fayzaychata" worked hard at the level of adults giving a plan, are these fairy tales for you ?????? Well, you know, there is a limit to everything.

Those. Fezushniks managed to increase production in the first half of the 44th to 14 thousand medium and heavy tanks and 16 thousand aircraft. This is the same myth as nurses on the battlefield, look at the awards, there is a ratio of one nurse with a medal "For Military Merit" to forty orderlies with orders.
I used drawings from the time of the war and there were only men in the stamps, only women copiers. There were very few privates and sergeants over 35 in the army, everyone was in production. It was a very clever mobilization, thought out and contributing not to a decrease, but to an increase in production. In addition to honest people, the Stalinist government also had smart people, much smarter than in the current government.

[Stoler]

"Everyone fit for health reasons should serve in the army. Everyone!!" - right, but old nags should be engaged in science and production! But who will replace them later? Exactly!! Forgot!! We have Baba!!!

[Vadim S]

That's right, they expanded the scope, powerful advertising and the people popped themselves, and no mobilizations are needed. People should go to war motivated, not forced. There are a million unemployed, poverty in the country, so at least a chance for people to earn money.

[sadam2]

For a while this will work.
The economy is collapsing. The hole in the budget is out of control. 1.5 million army of contract soldiers is an expensive pleasure. Where's the money zin
Well, 30 thousand prisoners in the wild need to be arranged somehow

[Konnick]

1.5 million army of contract soldiers is an expensive pleasure

The larger the army, the more generals. But ... if we had a weapon that corresponded to the declared goals, such a quantity would not be needed. If tanks were not afraid to go on direct fire, and attack aircraft were not afraid of enemy air defense, and our artillery had a sufficient amount of high-precision weapons. Accordingly, there would be uninterrupted and inaccessible communications, and we could jam the UAV control and enemy communications with effective electronic warfare .... would ... And we are forced to cover the stupid service of officers and generals in peacetime, who should have and be able to do all this by calling on civilians in wartime. Why did we keep such an army that cannot fight without the heroism of soldiers and sergeants cut off from their permanent work and cover up the negligence, laziness and irresponsible attitude of the personnel of the Russian army.

[Nikolay Anatolyevich]

Vadim, I don’t know what country you live in, but obviously not in Russia. What on... Poverty? We live normally

[Blackgrifon]

Quote: Vadim S

There are a million unemployed, poverty in the country, so at least a chance for people to earn money.

Seriously? Only even unskilled workers, not to mention ordinary workers and engineers, are hardly recruited for enterprises.

[Deon59]

We don't have unemployment. Know why, in order to get 1500 rubles, you need to collect a bunch of documents. And it’s not yet certain that it will be given. Instead of plants and factories, shops and new buildings are growing like a shiver. The old new buildings have not yet been sold, so there are a lot of new ones. The main thing in Russia buy sell

[White AK]

A convict in the army is its end, without a radical change in dd and the position of privates and sergeants, nothing will change, as they mowed the grass and glue tags, or so they will, while the headquarters give themselves bonuses of 100000 and the fighters of 20000 are left with neither motivation nor desire

[nickname7]

Zeka in the army is her end,

The end is if prisoners are sent to a peacetime army that does not fight, but slowly decomposes, but prisoners can be sent to a warring army.

[Vadim S]

I don’t want to go to defend the rich and snickering, they definitely won’t go, untouchables, paid off, made armor, I know such people. But volunteers, yes, they are needed, every day they say a thousand people come, so they will be useful.

[Nikolay Anatolyevich]

Tsipso in action. Now it is clear what country and what kind of poverty you are talking about. Sala to Ukraine.

[Deon59]

And the Russian leadership does not work for Tsipso.

[rotmistr60]

Quote from: Derbes19

Acceptance of those convicted for service under the contract is the beginning of the end of the army. SA has already gone through a similar experiment.

In the Soviet army, they did not go further than the construction battalion, and then with the so-called. "light articles".

[Sancho_SP]

In the Union, the army was presented with a lot of diverse requirements.
The petty-criminal element was involved in the same construction battalion (with a very specific mechanism for the army of work and payment), more for the purpose of re-education. How much it helped, I don't know.

[Deon59]

Yeah, at the age of 60 I will run to sign a contract with the Moscow Region. Here the average age in Russia for men is barely 60 years old.

[bravo77]

Quote from Dekimen

The decisions are correct, and I agree with the author that the country needs PMCs, if only to ensure that experienced soldiers and officers who are disillusioned with the style and methods of leadership in the Defense Ministry and the General Staff are in demand as part of conditionally independent military formations. Even if outside the Russian Federation.

really why remove non-pulling, non-understanding generals
let thousands of effective experienced people leave the army

and these generals, like a tumor, will spread down servility, eyewash, careerism

[bravo77]

pleased with the phrase
"thousands of convicts are returning to peaceful life"

ordinary soldiers, mobs will have problems returning to normal life
remember the Afghan syndrome, Vietnamese (the idea of ​​the Rimbaud film was not born from scratch)
people with a distorted psyche will return, able to make a decision in a split second to eliminate the threat if they see it for themselves.
people with killing skills who will drown out their psychological breakdown with vodka. they will be with us, and in the same way in the war.
will stand irritated in queues at the box office, in traffic jams, public transport. many can tear off the roof.

and now the question is if ordinary guys pulled out of civilian life and returned there again will have a difficult adaptation

how will it go for the prisoners?

[bravo77]

Quote: ROSS 42

Stop experimenting. They finished playing the “war game”, that they lost the right to be called the first, and then the second army of the world. One thing pleases that the human factor has remained unchanged, despite all the rewriting of constitutions, laws and orders ...
It is impossible to prepare a professional fighter from a young man with zero experience in military training in a year.
It is impossible to wage war in ancestral ways, plugging holes in the supply and imperfection of weapons by the citizens of their country, which are becoming smaller every year.
The pursuit of a professional army, and most importantly, the system of payment of monetary allowances, showed a number of flaws.
Only one thing is clear. Everyone who is fit for health reasons should serve in the army. All!!! I didn’t learn anything except spending daddy’s money - you will go to the assistants to specialists. You will "give-bring" with the appropriate payment ...
Junior officers (including sergeants) in the army must be professional.

the first thing to understand is not the army, but society
she is an army projection of the state thereof.
if society degrades, the army degrades even more
if society is on the rise, the army is even better.

second, if the army is commanded by people who do not understand what it is,
those who care about external gloss, make shows, promote careerism, etc.
then no matter how many soldiers and lower ranks serve in the army,
one muzzle can put them by pointing a fat finger on the map, saying that it needs to be taken the day after tomorrow

[Non-fighter]

The management of the employing company claimed that a total of approx. 50 thousand people By June 2023, over 30 have been released and are returning to normal life

Well, here is the percentage of losses - 40% during the maintenance of the database, and this is according to the upper bar, actually lower.

[Sergei Kazimir]

But I think this is superfluous, people with a criminal record under heavy articles, and even more so prisoners, can turn out to be deserters or murderers, there are times when a former prisoner can remove an ally for the same good body kits or uniforms, and desert completely with this on a nearby railway. Of course, the personnel will become larger, but I'm afraid it will not work out without cases. Thank you for the article.

[faterdom]

The usual recruitment measures with "requirements" for candidates, given the current level of monetary allowance, and even more so pensions, have exhausted themselves.
Planned for the year, the numbers of staffing contract soldiers are clearly flying out of the schedule, it was necessary to have 400 for the year, 150 thousand were recruited in half a year, and the flow is thinning.

[nepunamemuk]

I have a friend
he 77
wants to volunteer

[abc_alex]

But I'm not interested in the issue of attracting convicted persons. I foresee a lot of problems with this though. With today's homeopathic level of political work in the troops. It's time to create a field gendarmerie.
But I'm not talking about that.
It is no secret that with the beginning of the SVO, a fair number of contract soldiers of the Moscow Region terminated their contracts. Moreover, among them were privates and officers. I would like to know how they are going to deal with such "peacetime warriors" in the future? In the long history of Russia, there was already an army that calmly looked at the destruction of the country that fed and supported it. How can we not get a second one.

[Blackgrifon]

According to the new law, grave and especially grave people are not taken. In addition, now there will be no separate connection with a huge% of such a contingent.

[COJIDAT]

The meat of the motherland, and upon arrival home - canned food. Here's what you need GSHMORF

[Konnick]

Quote: Sergei Kazimir

But I think this is superfluous, people with a criminal record under heavy articles, and even more so prisoners, can turn out to be deserters or murderers, there are times when a former prisoner can remove an ally for the same good body kits or uniforms, and desert completely with this on a nearby railway. Of course, the personnel will become larger, but I'm afraid it will not work out without cases. Thank you for the article.

Usually, directly combat units 10-20% of the total. In the modern army, there are many specialties where weapons are not required and they do not participate in hostilities - a bunch of logistics tasks, repair units, in general, rear services of units and units usually have much larger personnel than real combat units, and as part of the same tank regiment on 90 tanks account for 5 UAZs, 108 trucks, 105 special. vehicles, 8 tracked tractors, 27 MT-LB tracked transporters.

[savage3000]

At the same time, the number of directly military personnel needed to be increased by 137 thousand people. and bring it to 1,15 million.
________

Oh, I remember how Serduchka reduced the army. I'm afraid to make a mistake, but twower somehow laid out a document in the 12th or some such year, where the number of military personnel was reduced to 800 thousand per 17 million square kilometers of our country. Even then I twisted my finger at my temple.