The warfare contract

The government introduced a bill to the State Duma, which allows you to conclude short -term contracts with military personnel, including for work abroad. The authors of the project claim that this is necessary to combat terrorists, however, against the background of the strengthening of Russia's presence in Syria, experts believe that this initiative is aimed at legalizing the "soldier of good luck" who participate in hostilities, signing contracts with private military companies.

“The purpose of the bill is to ensure the maintenance of the required level of staffing by military personnel undergoing military service under the contract, military units and units involved to solve problems during the period of emergency or to participate in activities to maintain or restore peace and security, or to suppress terrorist activities outside of Russia, as well as to participate in the campaigns of ships,” the ships say, ”the said in campaigns,” the ships said Explanation to the document published on the government website.

The authors of the bill, in connection with the “change in the military-political situation”, propose to make appropriate amendments to the law “On Military Duty and Military Service”. Currently, the first contract with soldiers, sergeants, foremen and sailors can be concluded for two or three years of choice, with midshipmen, warrant officers or officers for five years. “Blitz Contracts” (for a period of six months) are allowed to conclude only during emergency situations (eliminating the consequences of natural disasters, restoring the constitutional order, etc.), as well as to participate in “activities to maintain or restore the international world and security”.

Amendments to the law will expand the conditions for concluding short -term contracts with military personnel. The permissible terms of "blitz-contractions" will also change. They can be concluded for the term of “before the cessation of circumstances”, the minimum threshold of six months will disappear. The bill applies to military personnel and citizens who are in stock, but expressing a desire to conclude a contract for military service.

According to data that are given in accompanying materials, from the total number of citizens who want to enter military service under a contract, about 20% are suitable for a shorter time for participation in specific events and operations.

In addition, the government proposes to expand the status of a soldier. With the adoption of the amendments, persons participating in the “activities to maintain or restore international world and security” or the fight against international terrorism outside Russia will be able to receive it. The government commission on billing activities approved this document in early October.

In the media, investigations of the activities of private military companies (PMCs) have repeatedly appeared, which hire the military retired to participate in military conflicts. PMCs gained particular popularity during the fighting in the east of Ukraine and retain this popularity thanks to the ongoing civil war in Syria. There is no legislation governing the activities of such companies in Russia. Some experts believe that the bill will lead the military who use the services of PMCs into the legal field of the military. The source of Vedomosti , close to the Ministry of Defense, previously assumed that this is not so much about PMCs as about the acute shortage of people of some military specialties in Syria, since they are reluctant to go from the reserve for two -year service.

Military experts interviewed by RBC also believe that the bill proposed by the government is necessary to legalize the activities of employees of private military companies in Syria. According to the professor of the Department of International Law, MGIMO Dmitry Labin, the bill will justify the status of PMCs within the framework of international law, and will also contribute to the emergence of new companies. “There will be a basis for creating something similar to the French Foreign Legion, where military personnel perform tasks in the calculation of citizenship, reward or other benefits,” Labin said.

Andrei Krasov, the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense, believes that the opportunity to conclude short -term military contracts will use , first of all, citizens with extensive experience in military service, and not conscripts. The deputy of the State Duma of the sixth convocation, politician Dmitry Gudkov, disagree with this. In his opinion, “yesterday’s schoolboy”, who will be offered a large reward “for shooting”, will easily agree to become a “state mercenary”.

“And then the lottery: either he will return alive, or in the coffin. We will not learn about these victims, because we are classified as the special operations, and even laconically responds to official requests for losses of the Ministry of Defense: "We do not disclose personal data." And an important addition: the base in Syria is now unlimited. And Syrian militants have just announced the murder of six Russian military. It was unlikely that these were aircraft pilots, ”Gudkov believes .