Covid19 as a pretext to attack the army
The Russian army has become one of the targets of attacks by distributors of fake news during the coronavirus epidemic. Liberal and pro-Western sources publish falsehoods accusing the military of hiding the number of infected people and retroactively dismissing infected people. On this soil, fertilely manured by stuffing, a new round of the campaign for the abolition of conscription for military service is unfolding. In other words, the forces interested in weakening Russia’s defense capability are taking full advantage of the moment.
But the Russian Ministry of Defense today can be called almost the most open military department in the world on the publication of data on infected coronavirus infection.
Currently, about 3,5 thousand Russian military personnel are among those infected, according to published statistics. Such publicity is not demonstrated in any NATO country, where, by the way, coronavirus Entire aircraft carrier crews are already sick.
“Actually, I don’t think that the army should constantly report that so many people have become infected today. But I am convinced that the numbers of people infected with coronavirus in the army are not hidden and are presented as they really are,” Senator Sergei Tsekov tells PolitNavigator.
“Great attention in Russia is paid not only from the point of view of the health of the Armed Forces, but also to the construction of all kinds of hospitals and so on,” recalls the former commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov.
Political scientist Sergei Markov, a member of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, points out the lack of logic among liberals who accuse the Ministry of Defense of allegedly concealing the scale of the disease.
“Those who say that the scale is being hidden are, firstly, simply lying - there is no such problem, and secondly, they simply do not understand anything about army life... If coronavirus cases increase in the army, what could happen - We see what is happening in the USA, in France and so on, this will lead to stronger arguments for obtaining additional budgets in the army. Therefore, it is simply not profitable for the Ministry of Defense to hide the number of coronavirus cases,” Markov said.
Captain XNUMXst Rank Sergei Gorbachev, an expert at the Institute of CIS Countries, draws attention to the unhealthy interest of some pro-Western critics in data that, in fact, is secret in all countries.
“Excessive attention to the sphere of defense and the desire to get to the bottom of details is a thing that is not permissible either in relation to the Armed Forces of Russia or any other country. Still, the sphere of defense is specific. The Ministry of Defense is open and publishes statistics. Everyone understands perfectly well that the army and navy are integral parts of our society, the state, and, naturally, the problems that exist in the state, in society, are also inherent in the Armed Forces,” Gorbachev said.
He is not surprised that the forces trying to undermine confidence in the Ministry of Defense are simultaneously demanding the abolition of conscription.
“The Armed Forces do not live without conscription, but exist. It’s not just that he came and took a suitcase, but the conscript is put through a whole system of medical checks; on the contrary, they also identify all sorts of advantages and disadvantages. In general, I would increase the conscription in order to pass young people through the military medical examination system,” suggests Admiral Komoyedov.
Military service is a salvation for young people from disadvantaged regions, reminds political scientist Markov.
“The abolition of conscription could lead to very serious consequences, a serious restructuring of the Ministry of Defense, which will be forced either to leave people in the army beyond the term, which is wrong, or to restructure, dramatically change, and temporarily, the structure of the Armed Forces, since many vacancies will be unfilled. This is also not the best option and is quite expensive.
It is better to carry out the call, especially since there are statistics according to which the likelihood of a young man damaging his health or losing his life in the army is an order of magnitude less than in civilian life. In civilian life, fights, alcohol, drugs, crime - none of this exists in the army, so especially for guys from disadvantaged areas, from economically depressed social groups, from dysfunctional families, joining the army is salvation,” Markov said.
See also: The Russian army is ready fight the coronavirus.
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