INTRO: RUSSIAN PRESIDENT BORIS YELTSIN HAS ORDERED THE RUSSIAN

ARMED FORCES TO END CONSCRIPTION BY THE YEAR 2000 AND CREATE A

PROFESSIONAL FIGHTING FORCE. V-O-A'S ELIZABETH ARROTT IN MOSCOW

REPORTS ON THE MOST SWEEPING OF THE MANY PROMISES MADE BY MR.

YELTSIN AHEAD OF NEXT MONTH'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

TEXT: PRESIDENT YELTSIN'S DECREE POTENTIALLY AFFECTS MILLIONS OF

YOUNG RUSSIAN MEN, FREEING THEM IN THE NEXT MILLENNIUM OF

RUSSIA'S AGE-OLD COMPULSORY MILITARY SERVICE.

THE DECREE, DISTRIBUTED THURSDAY, SAYS ITS AIM IS TO BOOST THE

PRESTIGE AND AUTHORITY OF THE ARMED FORCES. THE REPUTATION OF

THE MILITARY HAS BEEN BADLY DAMAGED SINCE THE COLLAPSE OF THE

SOVIET UNION.

ANALYSTS SAY THE DECREE, COMING JUST ONE MONTH BEFORE THE

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, IS IN PART MEANT TO COUNTER IN VOTER'S

MINDS THE WIDELY UNPOPULAR WAR IN CHECHNYA. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF

YOUNG MEN HAVE DODGED THE DRAFT BECAUSE OF THE CHECHEN CONFLICT.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE DECREE IS LIKELY TO ENRAGE SUPPORTERS OF

MR. YELTSIN'S RIVAL FOR THE PRESIDENCY, COMMUNIST PARTY CHIEF

GENNADI ZYUGANOV. COMMUNISTS AND NATIONALISTS HAVE BEEN

INSISTENT ON UPHOLDING WHAT THEY SAY IS THE HONOR OF SERVING THE

COUNTRY.

TWO QUESTIONS ABOUT MR. YELTSIN'S DECREE REMAIN FAR FROM CLEAR.

CAN RUSSIA AFFORD THE COST OF A PROFESSIONAL ARMY? AND CAN IT

FIND ENOUGH VOLUNTEERS TO FILL ITS RANKS? (SIGNED)

NEB/EA/CB/PT

16-May-96 4:19 PM EDT (2019 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America