MOSCOW, February 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's defense minister pledged Wednesday to take tough action against perpetrators of bullying attacks in the army and people who cover up such incidents, but was cautious the affect a mooted military police force would on the problem.
Addressing parliamentarians in the wake of brutal hazing attacks, Sergei Ivanov said a special instruction on registration and collection of crimes in the armed forces had been worked out and put into effect.
The minister said that officers would be brought to book, and possibly dismissed, for concealing crimes. He added that officers who sent soldiers to do work unconnected with the military service would also be punished.
"Such servicemen, including generals, have been already discharged for violations of orders," said Ivanov, who is also a deputy prime minister.
Two weeks ago a military court in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk ruled that Vladimir Kontonistov, a Russian Army deputy commander, had abused his position by sending young conscripts to various organizations to earn money he then personally pocketed. The high-ranking officer was fined $2,000 and banned from command for three years.
The minister also spoke in favor of transferring non-commission officers onto contract-based service in the military.
Ivanov said that if a non-commission officer served on a contract then he would spend nights in barracks with soldiers, when most of the hazing attacks are said to take place.
Ivanov also said the Defense Ministry had been working on the formation of the military police in the army, but said the new army institution would not be a remedy for hazing.
"The military police is not a magic pill against all crimes and incidents," Ivanov said.
Tougher measures against crimes in the army were raised by the minister following recent hazing cases in the Russian army that caused an outcry in society. In one case, a young soldier had to have his legs and genitals amputated after being tortured by colleagues for several hours in the Siberian city of Chelyabinsk.
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