STUDENTS WILL NOT SERVE IN THE ARMY, AND SCHOOLCHILDREN WILL TAKE MILITARY TRAINING LESSONS
RIA Novosti
TOMSK, February 2 (RIA Novosti) - Students will not be conscripted, although, at the same time, it is necessary to reintroduce the system of pre-conscription military training at schools, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told journalists during the Tomsk meeting on military preparation of Russian citizens.
"We are thinking about what to do with a complicated system of deferments. It does not mean that we will conscript students, although some deferments will be abolished," he said.
The minister reminded the participants of the meeting that at present Russia is the "world champion" in deferments.
At the same time, Mr. Ivanov believes it is necessary to increase the educational and training level of future conscripts.
He suggests, for instance, reintroducing the system of pre-conscription military training at schools.
"That does not mean pupils will have to practice military training all day long, although such training must become part of the educational system," the minister said.
Sergei Ivanov also informed the participants that he had instructed the General Headquarters to develop a complex of measures aimed at maintaining high combat readiness level of the army after the reduction of the conscription term to one year, planned for 2008.
"The complexity of such a task is that the advanced level of modern weapons deployed in the Russian Armed Forces requires a corresponding high level of knowledge and skills possessed by military personnel. Therefore, the Russian military has an urgent need of people with high level of general education," he stressed.
The minister added that in the future the defense ministry planned to assign only contracted military specialists to positions that require advanced knowledge in specific areas.
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