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About 700 servicemen suffered from hazing of officers in 2011

Some 683 subordinates suffered from the use of violence by officers

MOSCOW, January 19 (Itar-Tass) —— The main military investigation department of the Investigative Committee stated that the level of crimes with the use of violence by officers remains quite high.

A 2.1% growth in the number of hazing cases against subordinates was reported in 2011 amid a general decline of about 12% in the number of crimes, which the officers committed, the deputy chief of the main military investigation department Lieut. Gen. of Justice Sergei Fedotov said.

“Some 683 subordinates suffered from the use of violence by officers. Twelve of them sustained a heavy damage to health. The hazing practice by drunken officers is spreading. The number of crimes with the use of violence committed by drunken servicemen went up 17%,” he said at a meeting of the enlarged board of the main military investigation department.

“The reasons for this situation are in some changes for manning our army, a falling prestige of the military service, the outflow of officers and the consequent need for urgent recruitment on vacant posts, which caused lower requirements to candidates, inappropriate appointments of officials, which cannot resolve combat tasks because of their moral and service-related qualities,” Fedotov noted.

Fedotov noted that “the prevention of crimes and offences among officers is one of the top priorities to maintain law and order and the combat readiness of the troops.”

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