Spring draft starts in Russia

The spring draft campaign has started in Russia. The Defense Ministry expects to draft 162,000 young men this time. The figures are relative enough, as previous conscription campaigns have demonstrated: young men are often reluctant to serve in the army, and the police have to take an active part in the conscription, as they must help bring draftees to recruiting centers. As a rule, the ministry is overcautious and draws up excessive orders for the recruiting centers.

The lists of those who are subject to this conscription campaign have been compiled beforehand. According Moscow military commissar Vasily Krasnogorsky, there are about 6,000 young men on the list. However, he also said that the number of potential draftees in Moscow is much greater, about 250,000 people.

Vasily Krasnogorky says that, when compared with other large cities of Russia, Moscow is experiencing unequal conditions: if something occurs, Moscow is the first to be responsible. To avoid further problems in the coming conscription campaign, the military commissar together with Moscow police have thought of several ways to help the conscription process along.

Starting with April 1, police and military patrols will examine documents of every young man of a draftee age. That is why everyone should bring along their documents, otherwise detention is inevitable.

Dmitry Chirkin PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/04/01/39070.html