Russia took a step back toward its Soviet past Friday by giving preliminary approval to a law making military training mandatory in all elementary schools.
Cue the "Evil Empire" theme music.
The state Duma lower house of parliament passed the legislation in the first of three required readings by a 338-42 vote. Russian schools abandoned mandatory military training after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 and the subject has only been taught on a voluntary basis and with parents’ permission since then.
Guess they didn’t get to many takers.
But the new rule would stipulate that training becomes mandatory for both boys and girls in the last two years of elementary school. The draft system still functions in Russia and all elementary school students who fail to make it into university are expected to enlist when they leave school. Russian President Vladimir Putin has supported the legislationas a way of reintroducing morale to a Russian military that remains bogged down in its second war in the separatist republic of Chechnya over the past decade.
Vlad expects to need a lot more cannon fodder, I’d wager. |