On Sunday, the autumn conscription begins.

Tens of thousands of young people aged 18 to 27, who do not have deferrals and medical contraindications for service, will join the ranks of the army and other law enforcement agencies. The draft will begin on October 1, but in some regions (in the Far North, as well as in rural areas where the battle for the harvest is going on), draftees will receive summons in November.

Every adult in our country remembers the time when conscription caused the parents of conscripts, in modern terms, acute panic attacks.

Today, there are many cases when parents make an appointment with the military commissar to plead for their son. He is such a nice young man, healthy, and it is imperative to call him into the army. Moreover, the generals state that if earlier they paid in order not to serve, today they began to offer money to be taken into the army.

World turned upside down.

Would be happy to serve

The author of these lines in the early 80s worked in the military registration and enlistment office. It was the countryside, so I can't say that the problem of "deviators" was too acute. But all the same, the parents tried to "negotiate" and, if not completely smear, then at least postpone the prospect of terrible barracks.

By the way, even then not everyone was taken. There was no reason for the military registration and enlistment office to overfulfill the plan. They simply did not call on the superfluous, and this did not even require bribes.

One of our employees collected money: for a subscription to the "Red Star" (it is free for soldiers). Caught, judged, imprisoned.

Apogee - the gathering of conscripts. Guys came to us surrounded by relatives and friends, with vodka and accordions. The mothers of tomorrow's soldiers sobbed out loud, everyone else laughed, sang and danced.

These were the times when the USSR helped to build socialism in Afghanistan. The parents of conscripts were mortally afraid of two things: hazing and Afghanistan. The boys themselves feared only the first misfortune. The prospect of going to war was not particularly frightening. Youth.

You may not believe it, but then I drew up the documents for myself and went to serve urgently. I did not choose a place - only the Air Force troops.

And went to serve. To those very notorious barracks, to grandfathers...

Some statistics. The population of Russia is 146 million people. We take away women, minors, invalids, deviationists, deserters, religious orthodoxies. I think the bottom line is forty millions. These are those who served in the Soviet and Russian armies. And consequently, we have 40 million stories on the topic of what hazing is and what it is eaten with.

Fell - wrung out 300 times

My story is probably not the brightest. In the "shmas-training" (school of junior aviation specialists), sergeants played the role of grandfathers. They were recruited mainly from the natives of Western Ukraine. The guys were fierce. The days were scheduled by seconds, they fell asleep like the dead. They didn't have the strength to fight each other. Almost.

They only beat us on one occasion. Morning exercise is a form of clothing "naked torso" (in December!) and a few kilometers around the city. First from the mountain, and then uphill, along an icy road. It was impossible to lag behind, because of one they deployed the entire company to a new circle. Therefore, the most exhausted clung to passing buses. The sergeants thrashed their hands.

For any misconduct, the entire platoon was punished. Emphasis lying - and push-ups. Everyone takes turns counting to ten. There are 30 people in a platoon. Can a normal person do 300 push-ups? Can not. But if you don't do push-ups, then the sergeant would send you out "for a walk": a forced march in gas masks... We almost didn't see any officers. Imagine: 150 healthy 18-year-olds commanded by several 19-year-old sergeants. In the armory - 150 machine guns and machine guns, zinc with cartridges. The door to the armory can be knocked out with one kick, guarded by her orderly "on the bedside table", armed with a bayonet-knife. And this orderly is one of us.

But there were no uprisings. Only once, when the sergeants were already completely playing, the company in an organized manner refused to eat. All the same, they didn’t have time to eat, the sergeant gave a couple of minutes for lunch. A hunger strike in the army is a big emergency. For the first time we saw o-a lot of officers...

They did not rebel also because they slept for all six months and saw how we would take revenge on the "micro-demobilization". Before leaving the unit, let's get the sergeants to the toilet and beat them. For a long time. Brutal. Stretching pleasure. For everything, bastards, they will answer ...

And then there was a graduation from the "school". Before leaving, everyone hugged the sergeants like they were brothers.

Life is a strange thing.

They left me in the "training school", appointing me on duty. Eternal duty: either at the checkpoint, or at the headquarters. In submission gave just called. Strictly speaking, before my grandfather it was like walking to the moon, but for them I was an old-timer. I just don’t remember a case where I even had to raise my voice to someone. Hazing neither drank himself, nor arranged for others.

But my friend Yurka ended up in the Railway Troops. In the evenings, when the officers left, his grandfathers took him to the store room and beat him. They didn't demand anything. They just beat. We had fun. A friend years later (he, like me, became an officer) admitted that he was quite seriously looking for a rope. Hanging was a relief. But luckily, the headquarters needed a clerk. Beating the staff was a bad omen.

Why didn't Yurka complain to the commander? And the commander already knew everything. Such a healthy man with pood fists. He tried to restore order and beat presumptuous grandfathers himself. Without long prefaces, immediately - in the jaw.

Only in this part everything remained the same.

I know that your army left some other memories. But I say: 40 million versions of the service.

Serve like a copper pot

Remember how in the dashing years of perestroika the whole country argued with the generals? Human rights activists and committees of soldiers' mothers shouted: hazing is a disgrace.

The generals answered: you're lying!

Then, under the onslaught of facts, they changed the strategy. Yes, there are isolated cases of hazing. But the army has nothing to do with it! Look at what's going on in the PTU!

The position was initially a failure. If only because the guy could leave the vocational school at any time to go home to his mother. But this number did not work with the army.

It was necessary not to argue, but to radically change the army.

But for some reason they argued, argued.

Pocket wider

People don't join the army to earn money. For example, our pilots fighting in Syria receive much less than the pilots of passenger airliners. In large airlines, an aircraft commander can earn up to 500,000 rubles a month, there is a chic social package. Nevertheless, pilots are fleeing to Western companies, where incomes are even higher. Against the backdrop of such wealth, our military aces are poor relatives. But they honestly fight and do not try to leave for other people's Air Force.

This I mean to close the issue of material motivation for military service.

The army is able to miraculously turn teenagers into inflated fighters. The wizard's name is Comrade Sergeant. A photo: AP

They don't serve their country for money. But in peacetime, a contract soldier and an officer can, by their standard of living, draw a conclusion about the value of the military profession for society.

How much do they get today, when they began to forget about hazing, and how much did military personnel get paid 30 years ago, at a time when grandfathers ruled in the barracks?

1987: for the rank of lieutenant - 120 rubles. and official salary - from 120. If he served in the North, then plus 20%. There were bonuses for secrecy, special conditions. They added for "length of service." There was the 13th salary, rations (not everywhere), free travel on vacation.

In those years, you had to rent an apartment for your own, the army did not pay extra for subletting. At the same time, the lieutenant was in the barracks for days. I rarely saw my children.

How about today?

As before, monetary allowance consists of a mass of components: salaries, allowances and bonuses. A lieutenant in the infantry receives from 40 - 50 thousand rubles, in the Airborne Forces - from 60 thousand, and a sailor who goes to sea - all 80 thousand.

For their 270 rubles. in the days of the USSR, a lieutenant could buy 123 kg of doctor's sausage (it cost 2.20 rubles). Today, for 50 thousand, a platoon in the infantry will buy 117 kg (a kg of doctoral 400-450 rubles), and a paratrooper and a sailor - about the same as in Soviet times.

They don't serve their country for money. But according to the salary, the officer understands his value to society

At first glance, the modern lieutenant has not become richer. But rent is compensated, there are various forms of support in terms of housing. And most importantly: income directly depends on how you cope with your duties. Three salaries are given for conscientious service. For personal achievements, the salary is multiplied by two.

Now imagine: in your platoon "demobilization" broke the nose of the "young". Three salaries are gone, raises "for personal achievements" - too. With more serious incidents or a repeat of the emergency, the quarry flies downhill. A citizen looms.

And in civilian life 50 thousand a month - still go look. Medicine is paid (if you are interested in the result), they go on vacation at their own expense, pay off an apartment in a mortgage all their lives ... Not to mention the fact that you do not retire in 20-25 years.

You can't hide the ugliness. In units, doctors examine the personnel, looking for bruises and abrasions. Even if you crashed from the horizontal bar, an investigation is appointed. A psychologist talks to the soldiers, and you can often talk to a priest.

Soldiers are given SIM cards right in the military registration and enlistment offices, you can tell your parents everything.

Of course, there were no cell phones, priests and psychologists in Soviet times. But for the rest, nothing prevented tying the material well-being of the commander to the state of affairs in the barracks. It would have worked decades ago.

Although, of course, better late than never.

Trend

According to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the number of crimes in the army decreased by 5 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year.

The most significant decrease in PE - among those associated with hazing - by more than a third. The number of cases of assault has also significantly decreased.

On a note

Signs by which the parents of a soldier may suspect something is wrong

Olga Erofeeva, psychologist:

On specific questions on the phone, the son answers vaguely (just do not ask about things that relate to classified military information).

He asks to transfer large sums of money to his card, evading the answer - for what?

He cannot name the guys with whom he is friends.

He does not get in touch for a long time (but "He has not called his mother for a whole day!" - this is not serious).

What if the anxiety doesn't go away? Do not panic, collect as much information as possible. Call the commander. Come to the unit. And - do not despair: the military police and the prosecutor's office are doing a good job.

autumn call

On the way to the place of service, the current conscripts are fed in the dining car. Everyone is provided with a stylish travel bag containing 19 items of hygiene items for face, hand and foot care. Our grandfathers would simply not understand this. This is not about barracks grandfathers - about real ones who served urgently in the harsh and great Soviet army. A photo: Reuters

1. If a call awaits you in the fall - run to the gym or to the "rocking chair". The better the physical form, the more confident you feel, and this confidence is transmitted to others. They are friends with healthy people.

2. Prepare to obey. Practice in civilian life to behave correctly in conflict situations.

3. Type in Google "The daily routine of the military unit" and try to live a couple of days in this rhythm.

4. Do not believe that for a bribe you will be smeared from the army without consequences. And the point is not only that it is better to serve a year than to serve in prison. The question is how to get rid of it. A corrupt doctor reclassifies vegetovascular dystonia as a "congenital heart disease". This diagnosis is for life.

5. Get ready to become a collectivist, even if in life you are an individualist and think that "eagles do not fly in flocks." In the army they fly. You just can’t imagine yet how inspirational and synchronous it is.

In the modern army, they began to bring up the ruble more often. In Orenburg, a 28-year-old senior lieutenant was sentenced for exceeding his authority, which led to the suicide of a conscript soldier. The prosecutor asked for 5 years. The court took into account the marital status (two dependent children and a sick wife), gave 4 years probation. But in favor of the sister of the deceased, the officer will pay 1 million rubles.

Hazing was a disgusting phenomenon in the Soviet army. Let's make a reservation right away that "hazing" is inherent not only in the Soviet army, but also in other armies, but often service in other armies is often not compulsory, but is concluded on the basis of a contract. Not only that in the Soviet Union they were actually drafted into the army by force, without the right to alternative service, but sometimes they turned soldiers into free slaves, rented out for the construction of dachas or other work. It is not known how this raised the spirit of the defenders of the Motherland or contributed to the growth of defense power, but such cases became almost the norm in the last decade of the existence of the Soviet Union. However, to a greater or lesser extent, hazing is characteristic of all soldier groups, including cases in the elite troops.

I witnessed the knocked out teeth of a guy of my call, he was 28 years old, a family of two children. They called up from 18 to 30 years old, if I'm not mistaken, but since he was married and had small children, he was given deferrals, and a couple of years were not enough to reach the unenlisted age. A good-natured guy, in the first week he lost two front teeth "grandfathers" knocked out, or rather, they were dentures that he inserted, just before the army. Then I also saw him beaten up, and then he disappeared somewhere, I was not particularly interested. I managed to serve at a time when the Soviet Union began to feverish and goods began to disappear in stores. In the "royal troops" - the construction battalion, where I got after the first year of the institute for vision, food was a semi-mythical concept. Burnt porridge, and a barley drink, for which fights sometimes broke out, such was the daily diet of a warrior. They drank this "coffee" from the same unwashed plates after porridge. There were spoons, no glasses or forks. Of the delicacies were black bread and sugar, which could be dragged along the road from the dining room for the sergeant, for which "spirits" were sent from time to time. A piece of sugar and water seemed unimaginably delicious. Most likely, the officers stole the products, since there was no funding. And for two weeks, while they were doing repairs in the dining room, we were taken to the city dining room, and they fed us quite tolerably. On holidays, I remember, they gave us canned food and butter once. How did we survive? Since we worked at a brick factory, well, such a service to the homeland, to make bricks, there was a civilian canteen at the factory. The civilian brigadier gave out coupons to everyone, and there was a full meal, a cutlet and even half a glass of sour cream. You could buy food in a cafe outside the part, but that's if you managed to hide the money. The plant worked around the clock three shifts of the construction battalion, one civilian. It was nice to get to work the second shift with civilians, they could drink real tea sometimes with cookies. Another part worked at a neighboring plant, "chemists" who were not convicted under heavy articles worked with them. The position of the soldiers was not much better than the same "chemists". Fights were something common, there were cases when old-timers fought with officers. I wanted to eat constantly, and constant lack of sleep brought me to the state of an animal - they would have given me a machine gun and told me to shoot, they would have shot without understanding who and why. But there were no machines. The oath was taken in Lenin's room in slippers, without machine guns. Some Uzbeks couldn't read the oath... well, okay. Of the harmless entertainment of the sergeants, the roll call.
- Petrov.
- I.

Head from ***, - a long cackle.

Stealing from each other, boots had to be put under the legs of the bed, because they stole. I myself have one boot 43, the second was 44 sizes. And some went out for a divorce in 20-degree frost in slippers. The heating in the barracks was poor. They slept in clothes with pea coats over a blanket. From this, some people got mondovoskas in their clothes in the seams. The underwear was not changed, the code was washed and washed after the change. Washing does not mean that you still had a bar of soap, sometimes just get wet under water, towels were not wiped with underwear. Because of the cold and wet linen, a boil and the common "Siberian rosette" jumped up in some. An ulcer that did not heal, but slowly rotted, constantly increasing. There were no showers in the barracks. Push for some reason was closed in the barracks. The toilet was in the yard, icebergs of yellow urine froze there in winter. From the positive in the construction battalion they paid money, usually they were sent to the parents' book, otherwise they would have ended up with the "grandfathers". For a box of vodka, however, you could buy yourself a privileged position. Rent an apartment in the city, not live in the barracks, but go only to work at the factory.
Had to work a little; in the city military prosecutor's office, the case of beating a soldier, repulsing the scrotum and broken ribs was remembered, at that time it was not even very surprising. Now I ask myself the question, what kind of animals served in the Soviet army, which could beat their comrade for fun. They were beaten by nationality and just like that. Everyone was called to the unit, including those on probation. If there were few Muscovites in the company, the "chocks" pressed them. If on the contrary, then they soaked the "chock". The community was widespread.
In the army, I learned what the true "brotherhood of peoples" is. Who knows what school of life this is. Quite, I admit that in other military units it was different.

It is worth recalling that in the Russian imperial army

During the reign of Peter I, Catherine II, Paul I and during the time of Alexander I, "hazing", including disagreements on religious grounds, was suppressed in every possible way. Grandfathers-soldiers, who survived 25 years of continuous wars, taught recruits to survive, seeing this as the main educational function of the army. A soldier who went through the Suvorov military school could not raise his hand to a soldier like him, only because of his inexperience, because he understood that in battle next to a colleague humiliated by him, he might not feel the reliable shoulder of a comrade who would cover him on the attack. "Die yourself, but save a comrade!" - became the conscious choice of the Suvorov soldier.

The first case of hazing in the Red Army was recorded in 1919. Three old-timers of the 1st regiment of the 30th rifle division beat to death their colleague, the Red Army soldier Yu.I. According to the laws of wartime, those responsible for the death of a soldier were shot. After that, there were no official reports of recorded cases of hazing in the army of Soviet Russia and the USSR for almost half a century.

According to one version, “hazing” was indeed not characteristic of the Soviet Army until the introduction of a reduction in the term of conscription in 1967 from three years to two in the ground forces and from four to three in the navy. The reduction also coincided with a period of shortage of conscripts caused by the demographic consequences of the Great Patriotic War, due to which the five million Soviet army had to decrease in its strength by a whole third. By the decision of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CPSU, people with a criminal record began to be drafted into the army, which had previously been completely excluded. Ideologically, this was taught to society as a correction of stumbled fellow citizens, but in reality it led to the fact that the former inhabitants of prisons and zones began to introduce ritual humiliation and bullying into army life. That is, criminal orders were introduced into the army, thieves' jargon penetrated into the army language. The reduction in the term of service concerned only the newly called up, while those who had already served completed their term in full. For a certain time, in the same military unit, there were simultaneously those who had completed their third year of service, and those who had entered the service, who were supposed to serve one year less. The latter circumstance angered those who had already served two years, and they often took out their anger on recruits.

According to other observations, since the late 1960s, some unit commanders began to make extensive use of soldier labor for personal material gain. Economic activity in military units not provided for by the charter led to the emergence of such a system of hazing relations in which the old-timers would play the role of "supervisors" of the working soldiers of the first year of service. Such relations demanded the unquestioning obedience of young soldiers to any instructions of the old-timers. In order to break them down and turn them into obedient "slaves", they exerted moral and physical pressure on the conscripts and subjected them to violence. Thus, according to this version, hazing arose as a way to manage the hazing activities of military units. Over time, in a number of units, officers began to use “hazing” as a way of managing, since they themselves shied away from training young soldiers and educational work.

By the end of the 1960s, the USSR Armed Forces no longer had that number of front-line commanders who were in the majority in the army and navy after the end of the Great Patriotic War and who knew from their personal experience that a healthy morale in the unit entrusted to them - this is often the key to saving their own lives.

However, there are some reasons to doubt all the versions given. According to a study by the candidate of sociological sciences A. Yu. Solnyshkov, already in 1964 the first and most productive works of Soviet representatives of psychological science dealing with hazing issues appeared, which in itself shows that the phenomenon existed until the mid-1960s, and the roots its much deeper. In addition, according to him, over the forty years of studying the phenomenon of hazing, domestic scientists have not been able to make significant progress compared to the productive work of A. D. Glotochkin and his students, carried out in the early 1960s.
In the summer of 1982, the Soviet troops received a secret order No. 0100 on the fight against hazing.
During Perestroika, the "case of Sakalauskas", a young soldier from Lithuania, who shot a guard of 7 old-timers in February 1987 at the entrance to Leningrad, gained wide popularity.

Wikipedia.

As you can see, these are photographs of a later period, the uniform is not the same, although the belts are still from Soviet stocks, time has passed, and ugly hazing remained in the post-Soviet army.

The photo above may have been staged. Well, first of all, these are cadets, there was more discipline there. This is how the future officers of the Soviet Army fooled around.

Photographer in

1. Soldiers who do not follow personal hygiene and do not shave on time rub their faces with a waffle towel as a punishment, thereby "shaving" a person

2. A person is hung between the backs of the bed in a spacer - he holds on to one headboard with his hands, legs to the other, I have never seen it called "drying a crocodile", only there were rumors that a bayonet knife was placed down for acuity

3. The wires of the dynamo machine are tied to the toes (ears, hands) and spin at different frequencies, it is called the "death machine" I have only heard of such topics

4. "Punch the elk" Hands are crossed on the forehead so as not to leave bruises on the head, the blow is applied with the hand (foot, boot, stool)

5. "Elephant" A gas mask is put on the soldier, air is cut off, then access is sharply opened, they are allowed to take a sip of air and a blow is made to the chest with a hand or foot

10. "Bicycle" the soldier lies on his back, matches are inserted into the toes and set on fire, from the fire the soldier begins to twist his legs similar to pedaling

The story that happened in the Chelyabinsk Tank School with private Sergei Sychev reminded the authorities and citizens of the existence of army hazing.
Anatoly Pristavkin, presidential adviser, writer. They bullied me so much that I had to go to the hospital. We were forced to salute our cap a hundred times, sent to the kitchen to clean hot boilers or peel potatoes in the cold. One colleague could not stand it and committed suicide, and another, a Jew, was constantly beaten because he did not have time to get dressed "for one match."

Michael Prusak, governor of the Novgorod region. Everything was, but I'm a man, and I won't talk about it. Besides, I knew how to take care of myself. I served at the Warsaw Pact training ground, you can’t spoil it very much there, but there was bullying there too.

Valery Draganov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy. I faced bullying the very first night. I served in the elite strategic missile forces. The foreman, or, as he is also called, "piece", demanded to remove the wedding ring. I refused, then he took me to the storeroom and beat me.

Mikhail Zelikhanov, Deputy of the State Duma, member of the commission on the problems of the North Caucasus, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences. I served during the wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya and never encountered hazing. There simply could not be hazing.

Sergey Samoilov, adviser to the President of Russia. I did not encounter bullying, but there were interethnic skirmishes. If the guys from the Caucasus were offended, they stood up for each other. The Russians did not have such cohesion.

Yuri Koropachinsky, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sibmashholding. He did not bend the cockades on his cap, did not paint the hats with wax, did not iron the boots with an iron. But we had to fight. It wasn't tragic though. I retired with the rank of foreman, which I am terribly proud of. And the fact that hazing turns into perverted forms depends on specific commanders.

Tigran Keosayan, director, actor. I was not bullied. But not because I was all so breathy, but because we had a community. The worst thing is when everything seems to be normal on the outside, but in reality it's terrible. In our army they beat, beat and will beat. And I shot my first film "Sunny Beach" just about life in the army and hazing.

Franz Klintsevich, Head of the Russian Union of Veterans of Afghanistan. The sergeant in the canteen was forcing the whole unit to move from place to place. I got tired of it, I poured myself some soup and began to eat. The sergeant hit me with his hand, in response he received a kick. The sergeant was taken to the hospital, and I was taken to the guardhouse for five days. Then there was another fight between us, but I was strong, and they stopped pestering me. Yes, and I had pride: I went to the army after teaching at school. Hazing in the army has always existed. This is a reflection of the nature of male relationships.

Gennady Gudkov, State Duma deputy, leader of the People's Party. I had to do large quantities of uplifts with a coup, shouting to the crow. And a friend in the next company, from the nightmares that they had, hid in the medical unit, and swallowed pills, and engaged in self-mutilation. Another recruit from their company grabbed a machine gun and almost shot everyone, it is not known what stopped him.

Alfred Koch, former Deputy Prime Minister of Russia. "Grandfathers" were afraid of me: I came to serve as a candidate master of sports in wrestling. Grandfathers understood: if they hit me in the face, they will get it themselves. But I still experienced torture in the army. First, torture by hunger. I don’t understand why in the soldiers’ buffets they sell only sweets, and not sausage and canned food. Secondly, I never understood why the soldiers are allowed to wash once a week, while the barracks are scrubbed twice a day.

Gennady Seleznev, independent member of the State Duma. We didn't bully anyone. I served in a good military unit near Plesetsk. There was not a single person in the company without a secondary education. And in the current army, mostly illiterate people, vagabonds and drug addicts are being drafted. And, of course, they mock a normal person.

Mikhail Kuznetsov, My service was similar to the one described in the TV series "Soldiers". True, there was a case when "grandfather" demanded my new badge. I didn't give it up - "grandfather" was weak. Then I realized that I had to meet the person halfway. In my opinion, the scale of hazing is exaggerated. Young people are afraid of the hardships of service and hide behind hazing.

Mikhail Delyagin, Chairman of the Presidium of the Institute of Globalization Problems. I sometimes dream about the army even now. The army has its own unwritten rules, and if you absolutely follow them, then nothing terrible will happen. The main thing is to accept them for the duration of the service. And those who did not want to understand this, of course, in our time returned with poor health.

Viktor Ilyukhin, State Duma deputy, leader of the Movement in Support of the Army. I served on a submarine, there was no question of any bullying. Campaigns last for three or four months, and the offended could simply open the kingstones out of spite - and everyone would die. Any sailor understands this. Of course, the old-timers pulled the young, but did not scoff.

Pavel Krasheninnikov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Legislation, former Minister of Justice. I was beaten once, but I fought back. And they left me alone. We had hazing, but not in such a perverted form as it is now. Then they humiliated and mocked only those who did not resist. They were forced to sing songs, stand on a stool at night, crow, or even set fire to matches inserted between the sleeping toes.

Heydar Jemal, Chairman of the Islamic Committee of Russia. I served in the mid-60s, and then there was nothing like this in the Soviet army. The maximum that I have seen is inter-ethnic fights between Uzbeks, Khokhls and Moldovans. All the pranks that were then can now be called kindergarten.

Ramazan Abdulatipov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Tajikistan. How can you bully a ninety-kilogram athlete under two meters tall? The first three days in the army, my friend and I were dishwashers. Once the foreman said that the dishes were greasy, we washed the plates, and he began to pour obscenities on us. In response, we silently put him in the bathtub in which we washed the dishes. We were arrested, but since we had not yet taken the oath, everything went without much consequences. In my five years of service, of course, I saw hazing, but she never wore cynical uniforms.

Vladimir Katrenko, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma. Mom and dad didn’t offend me with their health, so they didn’t even try to mock me. I served in the GDR, but there were manifestations of hazing there too. The most cruel grandfathers were those who, at the beginning of their service, fell under the yoke of scoundrels. Before demobilization, they tried to win back their own.

Victor Shershunov, Governor of the Kostroma Region Sometimes it was necessary to clean up his site for a senior comrade. But I never stood on the bedside table and shouted out the remaining days until the demobilization. I served in 1968-1971 when the Navy was in transition. Before us, conscripts served for four years, so they could not do without hazing. This is a military tradition that has been around for centuries. But there was no emergency on our ship.

Joseph Kobzon, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Culture, People's Artist of the USSR. We did not have hazing in the Transcaucasian Military District. At that time, there was still an institution of political workers, there were political officers and members of the councils who were engaged in educational work and monitored hazing. The Democrats destroyed it all.

Victor Shenderovich, journalist, writer. I felt like I was being bullied a lot. But after what I learned about the army in recent years, I realized that we had a sanatorium.

Question of the week / Six years ago* Are you ready to serve your country? Vladimir Putin signed a decree on calling up reservists. We decided to find out how many people are ready to put on a military uniform. Gennady Melikyan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Sberbank of Russia. I am always ready to defend the fatherland with arms in hand. Why do we need a special shake-up to raise the reservists like bears from their lairs? Sergey Kirienko, leader of the faction "Union of Right Forces". I will not be called - I am protected by law. But if this happens, I will go where I served, in the signal troops. Alfred Koch, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the investment company "Montes Auri". I will not be asked about this if they call me. But I don't want to go to the training camp. And okay, there would be a sense in this, because there will be nothing but lice, booze and cards. Sergey Baburin, leader of the Russian People's Union movement. Ready, but not in the rear. Office work is not for me. Oleg Gazmanov, singer. I'm so tired of concerts that I'm ready to leave even for training camps. Just to change the situation. Evgeny Mikhailov, Governor of the Pskov region They won't call me - I'm the governor. But if they were called, I would go. The times are difficult, there are not enough officers to serve in the headquarters. Andrey Sokolov, actor, director. It is unlikely that I will be called. Then the entire repertoire of the theater will have to be changed. I don't even want to think about it. Ivan Okhlobystin, film director. Let the professionals get ready. And we, busy men, why the hell did they need to be dragged off the stoves? * Positions indicated at the time of the survey.

One of my friends, with an extremely interesting journal, wrote a post http://kirey-caustic.livejournal.com/501395.html and gave a link to prose about the life of ZabVO in the second half of the 80s. Who in the subject will understand what it is about. In the army, and so there was enough and enough lawlessness, but with the removal from Moscow, the non-regulation grows exponentially. And with the crossing of the Urals, it’s generally abrupt. It is especially scary for Muscovites, St. Petersburg residents, and the so-called. intellectuals. I have not read everything yet, but the thing is strong, I recommend it to everyone. Here is the link http://flibusta.net/a/19722

In general, the topic covered is not exhaustive. After all, as it happens: One and the same person, depending on the conditions, can rise in authority, then external conditions change and he is already lowered, it seems forever. But the environment is changing again and yesterday's omission becomes an indisputable authority.
With me personally there were interesting metamorphoses. Childhood up to grade 5 proceeded smoothly, everyone was friends at school and class. I don’t remember any big problems at such an early age, although from the first grade all the boys were conditionally divided into “strong” and “weak”. There was also a category of "nuts" with whom it is better not to mess with. Among them could be both strong and weak physically.
A strict separation began from the fifth grade, we were 11 years old. They built a new school nearby and everyone who studied together from the 1st grade was scattered and mixed in different schools and classes.
Believe it or not, chaos began there, accompanied by fierce army hazing, and I, being a home-grown child, could not put myself up. I had a bad life until the very end of the 8th grade. As it turned out later, complete scumbags were studying around me, many over the summer after the 8th grade sat down, not reaching the vocational school for serious criminality, even by adult standards, for every taste. The case happened in Perovo, a criminal reserve.
Since only one ninth grade out of four eighths was formed in our school, from the ninth grade all lawlessness stopped by itself, there was no one there who was inclined to forceful solutions to issues. For two years of grades 9-10, no one had ever fought with anyone, in my opinion they did not raise their voices at each other.
During these two years, I physically got stronger and grew up, and somehow I forgot that they could once run into me. Later, having added more strength and life experience, from the age of 22 he was in one of the Lyubertsy brigades (late 80s) and a respected person. At the center, where we received from speculators and currency traders (they were also called "irons"), I also met my former "authoritative" classmates until the 8th grade.
They gave me money as if they were pretty, smiling ingratiatingly, often referring to the fact that we were old friends, almost brothers, trying to get some privileges from me.
In their eyes, not weak young men, only fear and fawning. And I knew the nature of their fear - and if I start to apply old grievances, settle scores ...
Another vivid case was told to me by a friend who served urgently on Sakhalin in the early 80s. There they had fierce hazing, and one spirit named Petukhov was not only called Rooster, but some grandfathers also "waffles". And they did it publicly, in front of the entire company after lights out. My comrade, also a spirit at that time, also had to watch this. Time passed and their company was scattered in different parts, and already being a grandfather himself, my friend was sent on a business trip to an unfamiliar part. As soon as he arrived there, on the very first evening he sent local spirits who turned up for something, it seems, to the dining room for grub. Soon the spirits returned with nothing, saying that they were not allowed to bring what was ordered by a very authoritative local grandfather. My friend, himself a healthy pumped-up grandfather, decided to find out who broke off his high, and at the same time get to know the local authority. What a shock he experienced when he saw the approaching completely frustrated Rooster. It turns out that Rooster really was a very respected grandfather in this part.
When my friend promised to tell about his past, all the arrogance flew off the Rooster and he almost fell to his knees, begging him not to say anything.
After all, say at least a word, my sidekick, an instant scribe would come to Rooster, from authorities back to resentment in one second, and this would be the best final for him ...
In general, in extreme conditions, being determines consciousness very strongly ....

The charter of the Soviet army read: "... a soldier is obliged to endure all the hardships and hardships of military service." The saying is also ideal for the Russian armed forces, which are rightfully considered the heir to the traditions of "invincible and legendary." Current conscripts are often not afraid of a strict regime or excessive physical exertion, but hazing in army teams, called hazing.

Today, violence and bullying in the army have become such a widespread and commonplace phenomenon that Russian society practically does not pay attention to them. Only in the most egregious cases does the hype in the media begin, and the perpetrators can be punished in court. But this rarely happens.

Hazing in the army is not an invention of recent years, not another "legacy of the damned 90s", it came to us from the era of the USSR. A number of experts dealing with this issue argue that hazing between military personnel already existed during the Great Patriotic War.

There is a special relationship between old-timers and young soldiers in any army in the world. They probably existed in the legions of the Roman Empire. Speaking even more broadly, a kind of "hazing" is inherent in any closed male team. But nowhere are they expressed in such an ugly and shameful form as in the Russian armed forces. Why is this happening?

To understand this issue and find a way to fight hazing, you must first define it. And then try to find the origins of the phenomenon in our history, distant and very close.

What is called hazing

Hazing is an unofficial hierarchy in the military environment that determines the rules for relations between military personnel. Usually it is distributed at the lowest level of the army structure - among privates, sergeants, corporals.

In such a system, the status of a fighter is determined by the actual period of his service, which can certainly be considered a gross violation of military regulations. The usual manifestations of hazing are bullying, exploitation, physical and sexual abuse, that is, actions that are semi-criminal or criminal in nature. There is also an analogue of hazing in the navy. In the Russian Navy, it is called "anniversary".

Hazing should not be confused with harassment of conscripts on ethnic, religious or linguistic grounds. Such cases are manifestations of the so-called community.

The concepts of "hazing" and "hazing" are usually considered as synonyms, which is not entirely correct. The latter term is much broader: it includes cases of violence against soldiers by officers or conflicts between military personnel on the basis of personal hostility. From a legal point of view, they all fall under Article 335 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

The law divides all cases of hazing into two large groups:

• hazing;
• barracks hooliganism.

The first category includes all the violent actions of soldiers with a long service life in relation to young people: coercion to perform chores, beatings, psychological pressure, various “rituals”. Moreover, in this case, the offense is aimed at approving the status of an old-timer.

The second definition refers to any illegal and violent actions (beating, fighting, stabbing) resulting from personal relationships, interethnic or religious hostility between military personnel. That is, their motive was not an informal position related to the term of service of the participants in the conflict.

Hazing is a disgusting phenomenon. It is difficult to say how many young Russians it cost their health, and even their lives. A huge number of soldiers return to the "citizen" with a broken psyche, sowing cruelty and violence around them, the victims of which they were in the barracks. Hazing seriously undermines the authority of the institution of the armed forces in society, forcing young men to evade conscription, “mow down”, and give bribes.

There are no official statistics on hazing in Russia; the army leadership, for obvious reasons, does not like to talk about this topic.

It can be added that phenomena similar to hazing exist in many closed communities: in schools, boarding schools, and some social institutions. Usually the victims of bullying are physically weak, indecisive or younger students.

How the military hierarchy is built

Hazing does not mean lawlessness or anarchy. This is not just a way for service-wise soldiers to bully inexperienced comrades, but a tough and harmonious system built over many generations. There is a whole "table of ranks", according to which, military personnel receive a status and an unofficial rank depending on the length of service. When moving from one step of the hierarchical ladder to a higher one, a soldier must undergo a special ritual, usually accompanied by infliction of physical pain. Their names (or rather, nicknames) may vary depending on the type and type of troops, but in general they are similar:

• "Smells", "spirits incorporeal", "bulls", "quarantines" - military personnel who are in quarantine, who have not yet taken the oath;
• "Spirits", "fathers", "sparrows", "CHIZHI" (a person who fulfills wishes) - soldiers who served less than six months;
• "Elephants", "geese", "ravens" (Airborne Forces), "walruses", "goldfinches", "mammoths", "crucians" (Navy) - military personnel who are in the second half of the year of service;
• "Scoops", "skulls", "greyhound crucians", "years" (navy), "shaving brushes" - soldiers who served for one year;
• "Grandfathers", "grandfathers", "old men" - the service life is more than one and a half years. From the term "grandfather" came the name of hazing;
• "Demobilization" - the unofficial status of a serviceman after the release of the order to transfer to the reserve.

In the system of hazing, grandfathers have the most privileged position. In the barracks, their word is law. This is especially true of "perfume" and "smells". "Grandfathers" in the army avoid participating in chores - this is done by "young" fighters, although old-timers are forced to observe some traditions. For example, since Soviet times, it has become customary that on the “hundred days” - a hundred days before the order to demobilize - the “grandfather” is obliged to give his oil to the “spirits”.

Military personnel who have served for more than one year (“scoops”, “skulls”), according to the barracks hierarchy, occupy an intermediate position. They do not have full power over young soldiers, but they no longer clean up the territory or premises. The "scoops" keep order, look after the "spirits", control the observance of the unspoken barracks laws. They also carry out the punishments that are assigned by the old-timers to the "elephants" and "spirits". "Sheeps" have the right to sit in the presence of "grandfathers" and "demobilizations", they can eat civilian food, hemming clothes and unbuttoning the top button. They can even drink alcohol, but only with the permission of the "grandfathers". The scoops get full power over young soldiers after calling their own "spirits", that is, by the end of a year and a half of service. They can use force only with the approval of the old-timers.

Young soldiers in the first six months of service do not have any rights at all. Before reaching the rank of "scoop" they have only duties. They cannot change their uniforms, go to the tearoom, keep their hands in their pockets, their parcels from home usually go to the old-timers. Recruits fully serve the "grandfathers", down to washing their underwear and socks.

The “spirit” is obliged to endure the bullying of colleagues who are higher than him in the barracks hierarchy, to engage in the most dirty and hard work, he can be beaten for the slightest offense.

In conclusion, it can be added that after reducing the service life to one year, the above described system is gradually becoming a thing of the past. In twelve months, she simply does not have time to develop.

Rituals associated with hazing

Over the decades of its existence, hazing has turned into a real subculture, giving rise to many rituals, rituals and traditions. Most of them seem strange to a civilian, and some are frankly sadistic.

Here is some of them:

1. "Day of the Golden Spirit" ("Day of the Freaked Spirit", "Fifty dollars"). It comes fifty days before the demobilization order. On this day, young soldiers and old-timers change places: the "spirits" get the right to do whatever they want with the "grandfathers" - beat, involve in cleaning, force them to do push-ups, take away food and cigarettes. According to tradition, "grandfathers" cannot fight back or resist. The scoops are on the sidelines and do not interfere in anything. Theoretically, "spirits" can give any instructions to old-timers, but this is rarely abused, because everyone understands that tomorrow everything will be the same again. True, in some parts it was considered wrong to avenge orders that day. Such a custom seems absurd, but it gives young soldiers a feel for the work of the system of hazing: in a year it will be they who will maintain order in the regiment or company. It can be added that a similar tradition exists in the French Legion, however, officers and soldiers change places there;
2. Lullaby for "grandfather". At night, a young soldier, standing on a bedside table or a pyramid of chairs next to the bed of an old soldier, must read a rhyming text about an imminent demobilization or dismissal. There are many options for its content;
3. "Dembel train". This ritual can be called a "classic of the genre." It is a real theatrical performance that young fighters arrange for old-timers. "Grandfathers" play the passengers of the train taking them home after demobilization. "Spirits" rock the beds, imitate the sounds of the station and the moving train. One of the fighters gets the role of a conductor who serves tea to the "passengers". Other young servicemen are forced to run and wave green branches, imitating trees flashing through the windows of the car. The details and scenario of this performance may vary depending on the desire and imagination of the old-timers. For example, the action often involves the "train chief", scolding the negligent "conductor";
4. "Night Driving" A young soldier is forced to crawl on all fours under the beds of the barracks with his eyes closed. At the same time, various commands are given to him: when “turning to the right”, he must open his right eye and turn in the appropriate direction, when ordered to “reverse”, he opens both eyes and moves back;
5. "Moose", "Moose Penetration". The “spirit” crosses his arms in front of his forehead, after which the old-timer strikes at them. Its strength usually depends on the degree of guilt of the young soldier;
6. "Crocodile". A very popular type of bullying of young soldiers in the barracks: a video of this ritual can be viewed on the Internet. It is especially common in the Airborne Forces, special forces units, reconnaissance units, and the navy. When performing this ritual, a person rests his hands and feet on the headboards of the bed, holding the torso above it horizontally. As a rule, "crocodile" is a method of collective punishment of young soldiers: after lights out, they are forced to spend from five to twenty minutes in this position. It is physically very difficult to be in it, therefore such a punishment is assigned for serious misconduct;
7. "Calabaha". A ritual intended for the physical punishment of young fighters who improperly carried out the order of the "grandfather". Its essence lies in the fact that the "spirit" must take a blow from the old-timer in a symbolic, strictly defined way. After the command “start Calabashka”, the young fighter spreads his legs wide, bends his torso and straightens his arms to the sides. "Grandfather" or "scoop" hits him with the edge of his hand on the neck, which serves as an imitation of chopping off the head. Then the "killed" must stand in the combat position and make a report to the old-timer. Its content varies depending on the type of troops and unit. If you do not like the report, then the procedure is repeated. "Kalabaha" is especially loved in the Airborne Forces;
8. "Dembel Questions". A ritual that does not involve physical violence. It boils down to the fact that the old soldier suddenly begins to ask the young soldier a variety of questions, at first glance, having nothing to do with logic. The essence of the ritual is that the "spirit" must daily remember the number of days left before the order;
9. "Fire". This ritual is often performed by company sergeants. At his command, all personnel take property out of the premises, leaving the barracks completely empty. Everything is taken: beds, bedside tables, personal belongings. The essence of the ritual: the company must meet a certain time limit. If this fails, the rendered is dragged back, and the process begins anew. The cause of the "fire" may be a poorly cleaned room, the presence of prohibited items in the barracks;
10. Cigarette under the pillow. During the “hundred days”, the old-timer every morning must find a cigarette under his pillow with the inscription “so many days until the order.” It is laid at night by a "spirit" specially assigned to a specific "grandfather". A special chic is to put down a cigarette without waking up the demobilization officer. For such a service, the "grandfather" gives the "spirit" a portion of oil. Not having a cigarette is a serious offense that can be severely punished;
11. "Feed the hungry." Only old-timers enjoy the right to eat outside the canteen. If a “spirit” is caught behind this process, then punishment awaits him. And this is not an ordinary beating, but something more sophisticated. The offender can be forced to simply eat a loaf of black bread in one sitting, or feed him from a bin with food waste, or give him a loaf of bread smeared with shoe polish;
12. Team One! An analogue of the army command "private, come to me." Hearing her, any "spirit" should run up to the "grandfather", stand quietly and introduce himself. The meaning of the ritual is the speed of the young fighter: if it turns out to be insufficient, punishment will follow;
13. "Reading the Order". Ritual associated with the publication of the order to transfer to the reserve. The youngest soldier is chosen to read it. He climbs onto several stacked stools and squats on the top one. In this position, the soldier must read the text of the order from the newspaper loudly and clearly. Such a “conversion” ends with pulling the lower stool out of the pyramid. After the end of the ceremony, the old-timers usually drink, and the young fighters should get the alcohol;
14. "Chinese chair" The ritual is used as a punishment for minor infractions. The soldier is seated with his back to a vertical wall so that his legs bent at the knees form a right angle. In profile, his posture resembles a chair. Prolonged stay in this position causes excruciating pain in the joints.

Rituals accompany transitions from one level of the army hierarchy to another. To become a “scoop” a soldier who has served for a year must endure a series of blows with a belt buckle, a scoop or a stool on the buttocks. Their number usually coincides with the number of months served. The ritual is called "interruption" - in a similar way, "spirits" are transferred to the category of "elephants".

They initiate a “demobilization” in a different way: a fighter is “beaten” on a soft spot with a thin thread through several blankets or a mattress, and a specially taken “spirit” screams next to each blow “in pain”.

The navy has an unofficial hierarchy and its own rituals for moving from one category to another. Moreover, sailors show special ingenuity. "Karasyu", in order to become a "one-and-a-half", you need to go through the rite of "washing off the scales": it is either doused with water from a fire hose, or thrown overboard from the ship. They try to carry out the rite unexpectedly for the “initiate”.

These are far from all the rituals and traditions associated with hazing in the military environment. There are others, less common, who practice exclusively in certain branches of the military. There is a curious tradition of the "golden spirit". If a single recruit appears in a company with an appeal, then he receives a special, privileged status. "Grandfathers" must communicate with him respectfully - in the barracks hierarchy, he gets a place at the level of old-timers.

A soldier who has lost the respect of his comrades or who does not want to live according to the laws of hazing may be lowered in status or expelled from the hierarchy. But this is done very rarely.

Where is the most hazing

There is an opinion that hazing occurs more often in less prestigious parts such as a construction battalion. It's a delusion. Facts of hazing were found in the most "elite" units of the Russian army. Hazing is believed to be less common among military personnel who have constant access to firearms. Although hazing flourished in Afghanistan and often took the most cruel forms.

What matters is not the type of troops or the location of the unit, but the professional qualities of the commanding staff. The highest level of hazing is observed in units where officers do not cope with their direct duties, do not delve into the daily life of soldiers and sergeants under their command.

Hazing in the tsarist army

From history textbooks and classics, we know that the Russian army in the time of Suvorov or Kutuzov was a harsh school of life. They served for twenty-five years, and scuffle and cruel corporal punishment were considered the norm. Non-commissioned officers were mainly engaged in assault, who thus maintained order in the army team. Information about bullying of soldiers over each other has not reached us. A certain prototype of hazing existed even then. Ever since the time of Peter the Great, an experienced soldier was assigned to the recruit - "uncle". He taught the young how to behave in a new team and helped in mastering the wisdom of the army, in exchange for which the “spirit” carried out the instructions of the “uncle”, cleaned weapons, and repaired ammunition. This practice looks quite logical and does not seem humiliating.

At that time, soldiers suffered more from official corporal punishment, which was abolished in 1904. An attempt to revive them in 1916 led to the final undermining of the morale of the Russian army.

In the 19th century, a phenomenon very reminiscent of modern hazing became widespread in the military educational institutions of the Russian Empire. This left a lot of memories of contemporaries. Moreover, hazing reigned in the most prestigious schools of the country: in the Corps of Pages, the Nikolaev Engineering School. Newcomers were not only beaten or mocked, but a hierarchical system arose, similar to the one that operated in the Soviet army. In the Nikolaev Cavalry School, junior cadets were called "beasts", older ones were called "cornets", and repeaters were called "majors".

One of the first decisions of the young Soviet authorities was the complete abolition of corporal punishment in the army. In the pre-war period, there was nothing like modern hazing in the Red Army - all processes in the army were tightly controlled. The maximum that old-timers could do was to play a joke on a recruit. Any attempt to create, rally “grandfathers” to resolve issues in a military unit could lead to a prison term.

There is no mention of cases of hazing during the war. And where could they come from, if the life of an infantryman on the front line was usually measured in several attacks? According to eyewitnesses, a recruit could be forced to exchange shoes or uniforms, and such practices were the exception rather than the rule.

There is an opinion that hazing in the army came along with prisoners called to the front from the camps. Indeed, they are in many ways reminiscent of the way of life of the “thieves” in the zone, but at that time hazing was not widespread.

It is believed that hazing appeared in the Soviet army at the turn of the 60s and 70s.

There are several versions of why this happened:

1. According to the first, hazing appeared after the reduction in the service life, which occurred in 1967. Moreover, this decision concerned only newly drafted soldiers and sergeants. Mobilized earlier - completed their term in full. Naturally, this state of affairs did not please the old-timers, who began to take out their anger on the recruits;
2. The second possible reason for the birth of hazing is the decision to conscript people with a criminal past into the army, which was absolutely not allowed before. At the end of the 60s, a demographic crisis raged in the Soviet Union, caused by huge human losses in the war, so the country's leadership was forced to take such a step. This was presented to society as an attempt to correct criminals, but it turned out exactly the opposite: conscripts with prison "walkers" brought elements of the thieves' subculture to the army environment;
3. At the end of the 60s, commanders began to massively use soldiers and sergeants to perform household work and extract material benefits for themselves. Such activities, absolutely not provided for by the charter, required the creation of a new system of relations in which old-timers would control the work of young soldiers. To break the recruits, they were subjected to psychological and physical pressure. Over time, the officers saw in "hazing" a convenient and effective mechanism for controlling soldiers. So she became part of the Soviet military machine.

A common misconception about hazing is the belief in the absence of hazing in hot spots. Like, the availability of military weapons sobers up hotheads and stops bullying of young soldiers. The experience of Afghanistan, and then Chechnya, shows the fallacy of this opinion. In OKSVA hazing flourished both in the rear units and in units actively participating in hostilities. The officers were well aware of this phenomenon, but considered the fight against it irrational.

Hazing is a phenomenon that appeared in the late Soviet Union. It was then that the barracks hierarchy was formed, the rituals of hazing appeared

The 70s and 80s became the period of "heyday" of hazing in the Soviet army. Almost everyone who served at that time testifies to this. "Dedovshchina" became the main "string" of the Armed Forces of the USSR in the last decades of their existence. Then most of the traditions and rituals of hazing were born. Most of the officers did not resist the phenomenon, but used it for personal purposes.

What has changed in recent times

In the 1990s, the situation became even worse. The severe economic crisis led to the collapse of the army - intelligent officers began to leave en masse. Society was swept by a wave of criminal romance, students in schools began to speak thieves' jargon. All this contributed to the further penetration of criminal culture into the army. Hazing became even more bitter: now young soldiers began to extort money, there were cases of sexual violence in the barracks, beatings increasingly ended in murders.

Changes for the better appeared only at the beginning of the "zero" years. The economic situation in the country improved, which made it possible to significantly increase the funding of the army. The problem of hazing became so acute that the military department had to deal with it.

In 2006, the State Duma adopted amendments to the law on conscription, according to which, from 2007, the term of service was reduced to one and a half years, and from 2008 to a year. This decision in the shortest possible time dealt a crushing blow to hazing in the army - it began to break the entire system of relations in the unofficial military hierarchy. Now the difference between the new and the old generation in the barracks is only half a year. In recent years, the army has taken a course to increase the number of contract soldiers in its ranks. Since 2017, all ships of the Northern Fleet have already been equipped with sailors serving under the contract.

In 2018, the military prosecutor's office reported that the number of cases of assault decreased by 18% compared to 2016. Reducing the length of service significantly improved the hazing situation, but could not completely solve it. Proof of this is the numerous videos of bullying soldiers posted on the Internet. This is confirmed by representatives of public organizations, although they also talk about a decrease in the level of the problem.

The usual army castes simply do not have time to take shape in a year, so today hazing takes other forms. More often, recruits complain about extortion of money, more and more crimes are committed by military personnel with a higher rank. Moreover, requisitions occur under the threat of violence or even murder. Human rights activists say that the main reason for hazing is the closed nature of the army.

Is it possible to resist hazing

There are many myths about hazing, mainly due to cinema and fiction. One of the most common states that a recruit who is mentally strong and well-prepared physically is quite capable of resisting manifestations of hazing in the army, is able to repulse old-timers and protect himself from humiliation and bullying.

Unfortunately, this is an illusion. A young soldier may be physically stronger than any "grandfather" in the barracks, but if there is hazing in the unit, the entire army team will oppose him. After the manifestation of disobedience, he will automatically fall into the "black list" with the ensuing consequences. The rebel will be harassed by the charter, placed in a guardhouse, they will arrange a boycott.

It must be clearly understood that hazing in the army is practically impossible without the tacit approval of the command. A soldier with a strong will can theoretically resist fellow soldiers, but he is powerless against officers and a unit commander. An uncompromising fighter will be required to strictly comply with all the statutory provisions, and in case of any violations, military personnel of his own conscription will certainly be punished. So an uncompromising soldier can easily be deprived of any support in the barracks and turned into an outcast.

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