The "big brother" syndrome has disappeared, but.....

In the center of Dushanbe, a drunken ensign in a badly rumpled Russian army uniform clutched a dusty cap in his hands and could barely stand on his feet. The townspeople who passed by looked at him accusingly - somehow it is not customary among the local population to "lose face" in this way. A military patrol arrived just three minutes after a phone call to the commandant's office of one of the passers - by and took the violator of public order to the army "Ural".

Unfortunately, such an episode is not the rule, but it is far from the exception for Russian servicemen in Tajikistan. But God forbid to indiscriminately accuse the commanders of this: they say, they did not catch up, did not anticipate... It happened on a weekend: and it is not possible to put a patrolman near every store where they sell alcohol.

Yes, and punitive measures, sending to Russia or dismissing from the service for the smell of alcohol after a Sunday afternoon, will not solve the problem. There are plenty of examples of this: the "dry law" in America in the 20s, the infamous anti-alcohol campaign of 1985 in our country, during which so much firewood was broken, crippling the fate, breaking the career of many promising military personnel...

One of the reasons, according to experts, is completely different: today the quality of selection of military personnel, and not only contract soldiers, for service abroad (Yugoslavia and "hot countries" where they pay dollars are an exception) not at all what it was before. Agree, it is impossible to compare how in the past years they literally rushed to join the groups of Soviet troops abroad, how carefully the personnel officers selected everyone, almost X-raying them. However, even then there were mistakes. But they were much rarer.

Yes, today we have moved away from the "big brother syndrome" that was imposed earlier, and no one claims that a Russian person should be an example for others anywhere in the world under any circumstances. Well, even if not by example, but at least not to shock others with your behavior. After all, even individual cases like this cause considerable damage to the authority of Russia and its army in the eyes of residents of the state where "nashi" serve.

But even the officers of the personnel bodies that make up the lists for replacement can also be understood in the current situation: they have no one to choose from, and the number of people who want to serve in Tajikistan is not very large. What is the reason for this? Let's make a reservation right away, not only in the fact that they shoot here.

"Russia does not spoil us with a rank or a ruble..."

The "second" salary (which is not covered by allowances other than seniority) received by Russian military personnel in Tajikistan only partially compensates for their own expenses for renting an apartment, food, clothing, etc. Of course, there is no question of paying 50 percent for housing, other utilities, electricity, or free public transport, as defined by the relevant Law of the Russian Federation "On the Status of Military Personnel", in Tajikistan. And prices for food and industrial goods here are approximately 1.5-2 times higher than in Russia.

No one can explain why, for example, in Novosibirsk, in accordance with the district coefficient, a 25% salary supplement is paid "for remoteness", and in Kulyab, which is much further away, generally removed from Russia, where the climatic conditions are much worse, such a supplement is not provided. Thus, soldiers, officers and ensigns who serve in Tajikistan are equated to those who serve in Voronezh, Samara or Nizhny Novgorod when paying salaries, calculating the size of pensions (those who have 20 years of service) and the monetary allowance itself.

Moreover, civil or military specialists, officials of various departments who come to Tajikistan on a short-term business trip with an inspection, inspection, etc., in accordance with the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, receive travel allowances in the amount of 20 conventional units (about 600 Russian rubles) per day. Now let's make a comparison. If you divide the annual cash flow

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the allowance of a soldier, officer or ensign who is constantly serving in Tajikistan, for the number of days a year, will average about 100 rubles per day. The difference is 6 (!) times, without taking into account the fact that a person sent to Tajikistan at the main place of service also receives the monetary allowance due to him. Thus, the State, adequately assessing the difficulties and inconveniences faced by the secondee in Tajikistan, pays him appropriate compensation. But what about social justice for those who are sent here for service?

As for promotion, early (or a step higher) assignment of a rank, awarding orders and medals - the situation here is not much better than in other formations. Although, according to the officers with whom I had a chance to talk about this topic, it could have been more stimulating. A proposal has long been put forward to create an all - Russian special badge for those who served in hot spots, similar to the one awarded to Afghan servicemen." But it didn't go any further than that. The 201st Division created its own commemorative badge to encourage those who distinguished themselves in the service. Maybe it's time to do this at the general army level?

Yes, and on replacement, officers who have served in a hot spot for 5 or more years, having acquired invaluable experience in extreme situations, sometimes leave for equivalent positions. And even with a reduction, just to get closer to home, to relatives, for whom they missed so much during their service in Tajikistan. So it turns out, as in the song popular with Russian servicemen in Tajikistan: "Russia does not spoil us with a title or a ruble. But we are her reliable soldiers..."

Feeling all this social injustice on themselves, besides constantly experiencing great physical and emotional stress, some people who are weak in nature do not see any other way to relieve stress, except for the "People's Commissar's 100 grams". Others are not limited to this rule...

"Wait for me and I'll be back..."

Replacement in accordance with the decree of the Government of the Russian Federation takes place in two years.

The division has almost no own housing. Apartments have to be rented. And not everyone decides to bring their families here (which is not safe, given the local conditions) and send containers with things - it is still unknown in what condition this container will reach and how it will be possible to send it back. They don't even dream of office housing with furniture, kitchen utensils, and a TV.

With work for wives - also a problem: not everyone is ready and able to serve as medical instructors or telephone operators in military units, especially since there are not so many vacancies here either. Getting a job at local enterprises or organizations means exposing yourself to additional risk, because not everyone in the republic is happy about the presence of Russian troops here, standing in the way of terrorists and drug couriers. And the average salary in the Republic of Tatarstan is no more than 300 Russian rubles. In addition, the wives of some military personnel have a stable, high-paying job in Russia, and to lose it, leaving for two years with an unclear future prospect, is the height of stupidity. Yes, and there will be difficulties with teaching children - there are no Russian schools in the garrisons of Kurgan-Tube and Kulyab, the only exception is Dushanbe, but this does not solve the problem. Opened three years ago, the secondary school for children of Russian military personnel, designed for 450 students, now has 850 students.

So the family stayed in Russia. What can an officer or ensign do on a rare day off or in the evening after service? The cinema or theater disappears - how do I get home later?.. After all, in terms of the crime rate, especially in relation to the Russian-speaking population, the cities of Tajikistan are not the most suitable place for evening walks. The GDO library received new books for the last time about ten years ago. Mail arrives once a week, and Russian newspapers cost from 10 rubles or more for local merchants. Of the Russian TV programs, you can only watch ORT (from 17.00), RTR and TV-6. Radio - only "Mayak". Yes, in the Dushanbe garrison in the evening hours, the military television center broadcasts its programs, but, alas, the power of the transmitting signal does not allow them to be received in Kulyab or Kurgan-Tube, especially in the company tactical groups covering the border, where the lack of information and even a little entertainment is especially noticeable.

Add to this that for a minute of telephone conversation with Russia in Dushanbe, you need to pay 15 rubles, in Kurgan-Tube-twice as much. All reduced fares during the evening hours, weekends and holidays have long been canceled by local signalmen.

And two years of separation from a family, even taking into account a vacation of 60 days, does not cement marital relations for everyone. Some people manage to get "girlfriends" here. And sometimes the difficulties that arise in family life - another reason to take over the norm. Thus, the state, because of its poverty and thoughtlessness of officials, has created very difficult conditions for the Russians serving here, and itself pushes them into the arms of the "green snake".

We need economic measures to ensure that there is a monetary interest that supports the prestige of service abroad, decent wages that would compensate for the lack of normal social and living conditions that has already become habitual.

The problems faced by Russian military personnel in Tajikistan could still be listed. However, it is not necessary to have great insight to state a similar situation around the Russian troops in the GDVZ, in Moldova... But it is necessary to solve these problems at some point...

Lieutenant Colonel Evgeny Shalnev, correspondent of the newspaper "Krasnaya Zvezda" in Tajikistan.

Especially for Orientir magazine

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