Can i join russian army

In order to become a soldier in Russia you have to be at least 18 and not older than 30 years old. The Russian Armed Forces welcomes both men and women. Yet, no woman will be running on a battlefield with an AK in her hands. Every woman who's willing to become a soldier is welcome, but only for work assigned to military headquarters or as a nurse. They are, however, basic courses, which every soldier needs to know. You'll have to pass a Russian language test to evaluate if it is possible for you to serve in the Russian Armed Forces.

They take this issue very seriously, so be aware that you will have to seriously prepare for yourRussian language test. This is another very important issue for anyone wanting to join the military. The Russian Armed Forces doesn't accept in its ranks former convicts and people involved in criminal or any other jurisdictional investigations. If you're willing to become a Russian citizen, joining the military is also an option for you, because after five years of service, you are eligible to get the country's passport.

Outside of the military, too, an order from Vladimir Putin currently prohibits women from more than professions across a number of industries—the fear being that overly strenuous activity might interfere with one's ability to bear children. Though the Labor Ministry is reportedly working to reduce this number to by , restricted jobs will still include mining, construction, metalwork, firefighting, or jobs that involve heavy-lifting, diving, handling hazardous chemicals, welding, or aircraft repair.

Sixty-three percent of respondents said they would not want a daughter to serve in the military, whereas 62 percent said they would like to see a son serve. According to a study , the largest proportion of female enlistees serve out of financial necessity 67 percent while only a small proportion 6 percent are professionally oriented.

For example, it is not uncommon for the Russian ministry of defense to organize beauty pageants or cooking competitions amongst its female enlistees. Fears of gender-based violence may also play a role, as reports of rape and sexual assault even against men in the Russian military are common. An extreme practice of violence, bullying, and hazing, known as dedovshchina is acknowledged as a severe issue in the Russian military.

In , the Russian military reported deaths related to dedovshchina alone. In fact, attempting to combat hazing was a key factor in the decision to shorten the period of conscription from two years to one. Statistics show that post military reforms have not been able to successfully eradicate this practice, with hundreds or sometimes thousands of incidents reported in any given year. In many cases , women are turned away from enlistment for seeking restricted roles.

According to a July TASS article , a woman named Yana Surgaeva was denied by military recruiters and issued a refusal letter stating "the approval of military service by women as a driver, mechanic, sniper or gunner is not permitted. Female competency for military duty is routinely questioned in public discourse. Russian academics and officials alike argue that perceived psychological and physiological differences, such as lower bone density and heightened emotionalism, make women less suited for certain roles.

Of course, you don't need to put a woman in a tank or a fighter plane, but there are a number of places where it is too easy for a man to serve, but a woman would be just right.

In the few cases where women have served as pilots or in other restricted roles, they have had to petition the government for special permission, even sending hand-written notes to Shoygu. At the same time, it seems these women are disproportionately highlighted in Russian media, inflating the perception that female representation is robust and unrestricted.

She believes that conscription for women should be introduced on a voluntary basis, so that all girls who have reached the age of 18 are sent an offer to serve through the draft, and then can decide for themselves whether to go or not. Overall, however, pressure from civil society does not seem to be sufficient to significantly alter the status quo of female serviceship, considering the degree of conservatism associated with the Ministry of Defense, and with the Russian government in general.

Countries typically integrate their armed forces for one of two reasons: 1 to meet a global trend in gender equality reform, often due to domestic demands to remove gender-based restrictions, or 2 to increase total personnel, as seen in smaller countries with multiple adversaries such as Eritrea or Israel , or during wartime. A logical question to ask, then, is: does Russia particularly need women to serve in the military?

According to an official of the General Staff, manning levels dropped to around 70 percent in To mitigate shortages, Russia implemented an aggressive campaign to crack down on draft dodging.

Based on current personnel estimates , these efforts seem to have been successful. However, the fact that the Ministry of Defense made little apparent effort to enlist women during this time highlights the durability of gender roles and biases in the Russian mentality. Recently, Putin expanded force requirements, increasing an authorized level of one million active duty personnel to 1,, According to official statistics , currently, about , of roughly , active duty personnel are kontraktniki , with a stated goal of increasing this number to nearly , by Furthermore, as salaries for Russian civilians continue to outpace those offered by military service contracts, the new law is seen as a way to fill the military with migrant workers, Pukhov said.

But while the law may be aimed primarily at citizens of Russia's near abroad who are already working for Russian rubles, there are no restrictions written in the document prohibiting citizens of countries beyond Moscow's traditional sphere of influence from enlisting. Indeed, the ministry's website for prospective contractors provides all the useful information you need to join — including where to find a recruitment officer and sample professional exams to gauge your own competency.

By allowing foreign citizens to join its ranks, the Russian military has moved beyond most other modern militaries. Typically, foreigners are allowed to join another nation's military only after establishing residency, or by special agreements between their governments.

In the U. While service in the U. In this way, the Russian military is taking a page from the French Foreign Legion, which since the s has existed as a largely foreign-staffed military force. Legionnaires, who historically have served on the front lines of France's wars, can apply for citizenship after three years of service with the French Foreign Legion, or immediately if wounded in action.