Then the Russian government approved a corresponding proposal from the Defense Ministry. The military agreed to this after realizing that the experiment in the Pskov Airborne Division was failing: there were not enough volunteers to become contract soldiers. The General Staff was puzzled over where to find "professionals" for other branches of the armed forces.
If the State Duma of Russia passes the submitted bill, amendments and additions will be made to the federal laws "On Military Duty and Military Service," "On the Status of Military Personnel," and a number of others from the so-called military package. The law "On the Legal Status of Foreign Citizens in the Russian Federation" will also have to be somewhat "tidied up." The point is that contract soldiers-legionnaires are promised Russian citizenship after three years of service. And for these three years, their status must be determined. Mainly in order to avoid international prosecution of them as mercenaries.
As the correspondent of the newspaper "Vremya Novostei" was told in the Main Organizational and Mobilization Directorate of the General Staff, forecasts indicate there will be enough volunteers to serve in the Russian army. As a result of major reductions in the armed forces of most CIS states in recent years, many highly qualified specialists have found themselves out of work. "Former officers are ready to serve with us as ordinary contract soldiers," the GOMU assured, "if only because they will earn more. In addition, there is the prospect of obtaining Russian citizenship." The largest number of those wishing to serve as contract soldiers is where Russian military bases are located. For example, at the Kant airfield in Kyrgyzstan, where an aviation group is being created. In Tajikistan, similar requests are addressed to border guards.
Today, however, as six months ago, when the idea of mercenarism was first voiced, protests are to be expected from the CIS states from which soldiers are to be recruited for Russia. For example, Ukrainian legislation categorically prohibits its citizens from serving in the armed formations of other states. For participation without the permission of the relevant state authorities "in armed conflicts of other states with the aim of obtaining material remuneration," a citizen of Ukraine faces three to eight years in prison. The service of Georgian citizens in other armies contradicts the country's constitution. There are plenty of similar nuances in the legislation of other Commonwealth states. Their parliamentarians suggest Russian politicians think about how they would react if the American Senate or the German Bundestag proposed that Russian servicemen try their luck in their armies with the prospect of obtaining citizenship.