Conscript soldiers of the Russian interior ministry force cordons off the rally headlined ''Military Draft'', held by the loyalist propresidential youth movement ''Coming Together'' in Vasilyevsky Spusk square.
Photo: Dmitry Lebedev
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Putin Curtails Army Service
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has signed a Decree on Amending the Military Service Procedures Approved by the President’s Decree of September 16, 1999, the Kremlin’s news service announced on Monday. For Russia’s population, the greatest news is the military service reduction from two years to a year.
Nevertheless, the conscripts called to arms before January 1, 2007 will still serve for two years. The regulation doesn’t apply to the conscripts with higher education but with no officer commission and put into uniform before January 1, 2008.
Under Putin’s decree, the soldiers called to arms from January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 will serve for 18 months vs. 24 months previously.
If put into uniform before January 1, 2008, the conscripts with higher education but with no officer commission will serve for 12 months, while the conscripts with military rank will bear arms for 24 months.
At the same time, the conscripts called to arms after January 1, 2008 will serve for 12 months. Officers and soldiers serving under the contracts will remain in uniform in accordance with respective contracts. The term of the military service is calculated starting from its first day.
The president’s decree takes effect on the first day of promulgation.
www.kommersant.com
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