Slaves in camouflage

January 22 2011 3

Soldiers conscripts bring stable income to fathers commanders

The use of conscripts in the personal interests of commanders is a common practice for the Russian army. And the Volgograd region in this sense is no exception. At the same time, if earlier soldiers were carrying a combat watch at the notorious generals' summer cottages, now their “sale” to entrepreneurs has become a stable and profitable business for officers.

Evgeny S. stayed in the army for a year and a half, but the service itself took only two months from them. After completing the course of a young fighter, he was sent to a "part-time farm" with several colleagues, where he stayed for more than a year. 7 September of this year, Eugene and a friend escaped.

Extract from the statement of the fugitives to the human rights organization:

“... All summer we have been weeding, harvesting (carrots, beets, cauliflower). Worked on 18 hours per day. We lived in tents. We were fed 3 once a day, but badly: in the morning 6 - two pieces of bread and tea. Sometimes they did not give bread. Lunch - soup, some bread, tea. For dinner, a little porridge. We were constantly urged, saying that we were not working off the money that they paid our commanders. 18 people were constantly working on the field. But sometimes they brought more soldiers ... ”.

Nina Ponomareva, co-chairperson of the Volgograd regional organization of parents of servicemen, told about “New Izvestia” about this case.

«History the escape ended abnormally, she says. - We arranged the soldiers to another part, and in the morning they returned again! “Here,” they say, “outfits, guards. And we know nothing. We were not taught anything. We can only work on the field. We want back, but only fear the commander - will punish for the escape. "

The episode with the Volgograd fugitives vividly demonstrates the situation in the “reformed” Russian army. Soldiers are called to serve the Motherland, but in fact they are used as slaves. Many machines in their hands did not hold even once ...

According to human rights defenders, officers of military unit No. 12670 of the railway troops stationed in Volgograd are particularly successful in matters of trafficking in soldier labor. According to the order No. XXUMX of the RF Railways Commander Colonel-General G. Kogatko, military units may be contracted “to practical training in the construction, reconstruction and repair of railway lines and facilities. The resulting profits go to repair military camps, purchase medicines, subscribe to newspapers and magazines, improve the nutrition of military personnel, cultural and educational activities. "

“We cannot even buy notebooks for soldiers for training,” one of the junior officers of the aforementioned unit, who asked himself not to be called, is indignant. - But the commanders on the "Mercedes" go ... ".

The organization of the parents of servicemen “out of curiosity” decided to check how many soldiers sent from military unit No. XXUM to various jobs every day. To this end, several people, armed with cameras and a video camera, arrived in the morning at the checkpoint and witnessed a curious picture.

“The soldier was taken out in full platoons,” says one of the ambush participants. - We ask, "where are you going?" Answer - "weeding." Soon another 10 man picked up the Rotor Sports Club for some needs. Then two more cars with the servicemen left in an unknown direction. Then they began to drive cars, mostly foreign cars, and pick up a soldier on 2 – 3. Finding who goes where, it was quite difficult. In the morning, according to our calculations, the order 350 – 400 soldiers were taken out of the location of the unit ... ”.

What amounts are received by officers selling soldier labor? The "slaves in camouflage" do not know this. Although sometimes you can find out about their own value. Vasily P., called up from the Volgograd region, “served” on loading cement and cleaning up garbage at a concrete goods plant in the city of Beslan. “Once a month I signed the payroll for my salary, which I had never seen. I was surprised by the amount - almost four thousand rubles! ”- wrote Vasily in his letter to the human rights organization.

In the regional center, the “Extra Soldier” action was recently launched, the purpose of which is to convey to the authorities the alarming situation in the Volgograd region. And not only. Now activists are engaged in collecting information about the situation in the troops throughout the country.

“We want the commander in chief to look at the state of affairs in the army commanded”- say human rights activists.