Don't give a damn about the army

At the beginning of January, in the Yelansky garrison near Yekaterinburg, 95 (!) soldiers fell ill with pneumonia. One conscript died on January 16. He served in the army for only a month. “Interlocutor” turned to General Eduard Vorobyov for comment.

– This case is not related to the timing of the draft. It all comes down to the personal responsibility of the commander. If the commander sees a conscript in formation without outer clothing, why doesn’t he take action? If a conscript complains about his temperature and is forced to wash the floor, there is direct criminal liability. And it’s good that the prosecutor’s office reacted that way.

– That is, hazing of old-timers will be replaced by hazing of officers?
– I wouldn’t put it so harshly. But here's what's depressing. It is now planned to reduce the army officer corps from 330 to 150 thousand people. And I consider it necessary to conduct certification of officers - this, by the way, is also determined by the law on the Armed Forces. And when we identify unworthy or insufficiently qualified officers, we will fire them first. This needs to be done now; I don’t think there will be another opportunity. I am a supporter of radical changes in the army. They are necessary. But I cannot agree that this is being done behind closed doors. What qualities we want to give to our army as a result of reforms, how issues of social protection for those being dismissed will be resolved, how all this will be provided financially - nothing is clear. Representatives of the Ministry of Defense do not discuss these issues in parliament. Meanwhile, all upcoming changes must be spelled out in law. There must be a clearly defined reform plan that is discussed openly. And a transparent budget for these reforms, the implementation of which could be monitored by the Accounts Chamber. Then we won’t have to be surprised at what’s going on in the country’s armed forces.