A crumbling Russian army?

MosNews has been tracking an awful story in Russia, an extreme incident of hazing.

Russian army conscripts were reportedly badly beaten in the city of Chelyabinsk, in the Russian Urals over the New Year holidays, with the incident only being made public now.

Eight of 40 draftees who were in barracks at the local tank school were beaten up by drunk servicemen, with the connivance of the battalion officers. One of the draftees, Andrei Sychev, who was subjected to abuse for over three hours, is still in a grave condition, having had his legs amputated and genitals removed. Sychev was not only beaten but raped. However, the military leadership of Chelyabinsk garrison conceals this fact, Regnum web agency reported.

In the case of Sychev, the amputations were done because gangrene set in as result of the beatings. Twelve have been charged in the matter.

According to the military investigation, it was Sivyakov who meted out the brutal beating over the New Year holiday that led to Andrei Sychev’s legs and genitals being amputated.

The 19-year-old conscript at the Chelyabinsk tank academy in the Urals had been forced to crouch down for hours, then repeatedly kicked. He did not receive medical treatment for three days despite being in pain, by which time gangrene had set in.

The head of the military school has been dismissed.

Russia’s Defense Minister and Deputy PM Sergei Ivanov has ordered the dismissal of the head of the Chelyabinsk military school where a brutal attack on conscripts took place over the New Year holidays.

The minister ordered on Friday to dismiss and retire from military service Major-General Viktor Sidorov, the ministry’s information directorate officials were quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.

Later, Russia’s chief military prosecutor Alexander Savenkov said the criminal proceedings had been instigated against Sidorov. It was reported that the head of military school had been aware of the attack but had not informed the military district headquarters, nor the Main Commisariat of Land Forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has gotten involved. The family of Sychev will sue the Defense Ministry.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Defense Ministry to help the family of Private Andrei Sychev who was the victim of a brutal attack by fellow soldiers.

The president said to render the necessary assistance to the family regarding a housing problem. Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said all the necessary medical aid would be rendered to the soldier, RIA-Novosti news agency repored.

This is hardly the first indication of problems in the Russian military. Corruption and abuse are not unheard of. Pay is not always a regular thing.

But this lack of discipline is a sign of deep flaws. A military that allows this kind of abuse, with the knowledge of officers even, is not a military. It is little better than an armed gang. I've written before about the many problems Russian society is facing. These problems are merely reflected in Russia's military.

This story tugs at me in a special way, too. My son was adopted from a Russian orphange, and it is common for boys to go into the military when they grow up and leave the orphanage, as they often have nowhere else to go. I have countless reasons to thank God John is home with us, but one of them is the knowledge that John will never have to face an abusive stint in a decaying Russian military.