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Russia to hire more foreign troops in forces shake-up
By Laurence PeterBBC News
5 January 2015
Russia is opening up its armed forces to foreign career soldiers,
though Russian experts say the move is not linked to the conflict in
Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin issued a decree enabling foreigners to serve
for at least five years in the Russian military - provided they speak
Russian.
More recruits from ex-Soviet Central Asian republics are expected.
Foreign volunteers, including Russians, have been fighting in Ukraine.
Russia denies sending regular troops there.
The Ukrainian government and the West say Russia has sent heavy
weapons and well-trained troops to help the separatists in eastern
Ukraine.
Mr Putin's decree on foreign soldiers is part of moves to
professionalise the Russian armed forces, BBC defence analyst Jonathan
Marcus says. But it does have diplomatic implications for Russia's
relations with ex-Soviet republics, he adds.
Russian military experts Pavel Felgenhauer and Alexander Golts both
told the BBC that the new decree would legalise a situation that had
already existed for several years in areas where Russian troops were
deployed beyond Russia's borders.
It would make it easier for Russian forces to recruit locals in parts
of Central Asia, the Caucasus and in Trans-Dniester, the pro-Russian
breakaway territory in Moldova, they said.
Central Asia strategy
"Previously they were required to get Russian citizenship, or a paper
granting them Russian citizenship rights, but now they can serve
legally without Russian citizenship," Mr Felgenhauer said.
According to Mr Golts, there are already about 300 foreigners in the
Russian forces.
Mr Felgenhauer noted that thousands of Tajiks had served under Russian
officers during unrest in Tajikistan in the 1990s.
In the Caucasus, Russia still operates a military base in Armenia and
has troops in two breakaway parts of Georgia - Abkhazia and South
Ossetia.
"Sending Russian contract soldiers to Central Asia is expensive and
many stay there. So taking locals is very practical," Mr Felgenhauer
said.
"The possible threats are growing in Central Asia as Nato winds down
in Afghanistan. So there will be a possible expansion of Russia's
military presence in Central Asia - Russian officers with local
soldiers. But that does not mean mass recruitment of foreigners."
Mr Golts said Russia was not talking about creating a French-style
"foreign legion". France has long used elite foreign troops to quell
unrest in its former colonies in Africa, and in other hotspots.
For some the typical monthly wage of 30,000 roubles (£329; $500) would
be an incentive to join the Russian army, in tough economic times, as
would the prospect of getting Russian citizenship, Mr Golts added.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30682465
By Laurence PeterBBC News
5 January 2015
Russia is opening up its armed forces to foreign career soldiers,
though Russian experts say the move is not linked to the conflict in
Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin issued a decree enabling foreigners to serve
for at least five years in the Russian military - provided they speak
Russian.
More recruits from ex-Soviet Central Asian republics are expected.
Foreign volunteers, including Russians, have been fighting in Ukraine.
Russia denies sending regular troops there.
The Ukrainian government and the West say Russia has sent heavy
weapons and well-trained troops to help the separatists in eastern
Ukraine.
Mr Putin's decree on foreign soldiers is part of moves to
professionalise the Russian armed forces, BBC defence analyst Jonathan
Marcus says. But it does have diplomatic implications for Russia's
relations with ex-Soviet republics, he adds.
Russian military experts Pavel Felgenhauer and Alexander Golts both
told the BBC that the new decree would legalise a situation that had
already existed for several years in areas where Russian troops were
deployed beyond Russia's borders.
It would make it easier for Russian forces to recruit locals in parts
of Central Asia, the Caucasus and in Trans-Dniester, the pro-Russian
breakaway territory in Moldova, they said.
Central Asia strategy
"Previously they were required to get Russian citizenship, or a paper
granting them Russian citizenship rights, but now they can serve
legally without Russian citizenship," Mr Felgenhauer said.
According to Mr Golts, there are already about 300 foreigners in the
Russian forces.
Mr Felgenhauer noted that thousands of Tajiks had served under Russian
officers during unrest in Tajikistan in the 1990s.
In the Caucasus, Russia still operates a military base in Armenia and
has troops in two breakaway parts of Georgia - Abkhazia and South
Ossetia.
"Sending Russian contract soldiers to Central Asia is expensive and
many stay there. So taking locals is very practical," Mr Felgenhauer
said.
"The possible threats are growing in Central Asia as Nato winds down
in Afghanistan. So there will be a possible expansion of Russia's
military presence in Central Asia - Russian officers with local
soldiers. But that does not mean mass recruitment of foreigners."
Mr Golts said Russia was not talking about creating a French-style
"foreign legion". France has long used elite foreign troops to quell
unrest in its former colonies in Africa, and in other hotspots.
For some the typical monthly wage of 30,000 roubles (£329; $500) would
be an incentive to join the Russian army, in tough economic times, as
would the prospect of getting Russian citizenship, Mr Golts added.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30682465