Questions :

1. The importance of military service security in the daily activities of troops (forces).

2. Requirements of legislative and other regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation for ensuring the safety of military service.

3. The commander's (superior's) method of preventing deaths, injuries, and other accidents among military personnel.

Recent events and increased public attention to the rights of military personnel have led to an increase in the level of organization of work to ensure the safety of military service. Despite the challenging overall situation in the country and the Armed Forces, military authorities are taking drastic measures to prevent the deaths and injuries of their personnel.

There are several reasons why the problem of preventing personnel deaths and injuries, as well as creating and ensuring safe conditions in the daily activities of military personnel, is particularly relevant.

Firstly, the reasons are purely objective.

The 1998 Federal Law "On the Status of Military Personnel" emphasizes that "military personnel are responsible for preparing for armed defense and armed defense of the Russian Federation, which involves the unquestioning execution of assigned tasks under any conditions, including those that pose a risk to life." It is no coincidence that the Russian Federation's legislation provides military personnel with a significant range of benefits, guarantees, and compensations compared to other categories of citizens, as well as preferential pension provisions. At the same time, it is important to note that even in peacetime conditions (not to mention special legal regimes such as wartime, martial law, state of emergency, and so on), during military service, personnel are often exposed to a significant number of dangerous factors in the course of their military professional activities. This is primarily due to the fact that the armed forces (forces) have a large number of complex weapons and military equipment that are prone to increased risks during operation.

The life of military units and formations is characterized by the intensity of everyday activities and dynamic processes. This is due to the performance of combat duty, garrison duty, guard duty, and internal service, as well as the participation of personnel in exercises and

other combat training activities. Almost every military personnel has access to weapons, ammunition, and explosives, and periodically performs official tasks (exercises, work) using them. At the same time, military work requires extremely high physical and mental stress, often leading to overexertion.

In addition, military service is often associated with the separation of young people who lack practical experience and social skills (which is essentially what conscripts are) from their families, loved ones, friends, and familiar social circles. This can lead to depression and psychological distress. Furthermore, in male-dominated environments, such as most military units, there is a higher likelihood of individuals with immoral or criminal tendencies who may promote unethical behavior.

These and a number of other factors and circumstances make military

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service is a high-risk area, a special type of federal public service. The very specific nature of the service activities of military personnel does not allow us to solve issues of ensuring their personal safety within the framework of the current labor protection system in the country. (The Labor Code of the Russian Federation, as well as the Federal Law "On the Fundamentals of Labor Protection in the Russian Federation" adopted in 1999&"Other acts of the President of the Russian Federation and the Government of Russia on occupational safety and health do not apply to military personnel.") Therefore, in order to preserve their lives and health during military service, an independent regulatory framework and a well-thought-out and carefully implemented system of measures aimed at ensuring the safety of military service are required.

Secondly, the so-called "situational" reasons should also be taken into account.

Readers of Orientir are well aware of the current realities of military life. Due to the economic crisis and social instability, the redeployment of many military units, their presence in hot spots, the problems with recruiting troops (forces), their inadequate funding and logistical support, the practical cessation of real combat training in many military units, and the shift of efforts by officials to self-preservation, the level of security in the military has significantly decreased.

Therefore, the work of military management bodies and all officials in the skillful organization of the daily activities of personnel, prevention of death and injury, comes to the fore today. In the current specific conditions, the ability to effectively solve the tasks of military service security has become one of the most important criteria for the business maturity of each commander (chief).

Thirdly, the need to pay more attention to ensuring the security of military service is related, figuratively speaking, to the socio-political background in which all military officials have to operate today.

In the last ten years, there have been significant social and political changes in the Russian Federation. The Constitution of the Russian Federation, adopted in 1993, emphasizes that "the individual, their rights, and freedoms are the highest value."

It should be noted that there is a growing awareness in society of the need to implement this constitutional principle. This is evidenced by the increased public reaction to the deaths and injuries (wounds, traumas, and contusions) of military personnel during their military service, as well as the increased public scrutiny of the activities of military authorities.

In this regard, it is appropriate to recall that the state authorities of the Russian Federation have taken a number of measures in recent years to improve the safety of military service. For example, the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation has held several parliamentary hearings on this issue (including the problems of personnel deaths and injuries, the search for missing military personnel in peacetime, etc.).

In 1994, the Main Military Prosecutor's Office of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation established and currently actively operates a department responsible for monitoring compliance with federal laws during the investigation of criminal cases involving the deaths and injuries of military personnel.

In early 1995, the Government Commission on Social Issues of Military Personnel, Citizens Dismissed from Military Service, and Their Families approved and subsequently implemented the "Plan of State Measures to Improve the System of Measures and Bodies for Ensuring the Safety of Military Personnel During Military Service." To implement this plan, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation established and, starting in 1996, began to operate on a professional basis, structural units for military service security, which were integrated with military service units into unified structures.

In addition, over the past decade, a regulatory and legal framework has been gradually developed to ensure the safety of military service. The primary goal of this framework was to establish a similar role for the issue of military service safety in the military legal system, similar to the role of occupational safety in the labor law system. In recent years, this goal has been largely achieved. Today, the issue of military service safety, which was previously addressed in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation as part of measures to strengthen military discipline, has been separated into a distinct area of focus for military command and control bodies and military officials.

The issue of ensuring the safety of military service is currently regulated by a complex of legislative and other regulatory acts of the Russian Federation in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The requirements of the Federal Law of 1998 "On the Status of Military Personnel"are of fundamental importance. Thus, article 27 states that " commanders are joint commanders and are responsible in peacetime and wartime for ... security of military service". Article 16 of the Law stipulates that " the health protection of military personnel is ensured by the creation of favorable conditions for military service, everyday life and a system of measures to limit the dangerous factors of military service carried out by commanders in cooperation with state authorities." By specifying the role of commanders, this same article emphasizes that "it is the commanders' responsibility to take care of the health and well-being of their subordinates. They are also responsible for ensuring safety during exercises and other military activities.

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The current military regulations provide a new approach to the activities of military personnel in ensuring the safety of military service. Unlike previous regulations, the participation of military personnel in ensuring the safety of military service is now included in the duties of almost every military official in the regiment. Thus, the regiment commander, being responsible for the safety of military service, monitors the compliance of military personnel with safety requirements when working with weapons, military equipment, and ammunition, as well as during training, firing, exercises, and operations. The deputy regiment commander checks the compliance of military personnel with safety requirements, environmental regulations, and standards during training, firing, and exercises. The regiment chief of staff is responsible for monitoring the quality of training sessions for military personnel on compliance with safety requirements. The deputy commander of the regiment for armaments develops and carries out measures to prevent incidents involving weapons and military equipment, analyzes their causes, and carries out measures to ensure safety requirements during the preparation and operation of weapons and military equipment. The deputy commander for logistics is responsible for fire protection in the regiment, compliance with environmental regulations, and ensuring safety during repair, construction, and household activities.

In recent years, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has adopted a number of departmental regulations governing various aspects of military service security, in accordance with the requirements of the 1998 Federal Law "On the Status of Military Personnel" and the general military regulations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Of particular importance is Directive D-10 of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, issued in 1997, "On Improving Military Service Security in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation." She approved the Concept of Military Service Security in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and the Comprehensive Plan for Improving the Work of Military Administration Bodies to Ensure Military Service Security for the Period up to 2000.

The adopted concept defines the concept of military service security as "the state of military service that ensures the protection of military personnel, the local population, and the natural environment from threats that arise during the activities of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation." In addition, this document defines the subjects, objects, and main threats to the security of military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as well as its conditions and types, as well as the principles and areas of work for its implementation. According to the concept, the safety of military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation should be achieved simultaneously by ensuring the safety of all types of daily activities of the troops (forces) (the safety of combat duty, various combat training activities, the operation of weapons and military equipment, the performance of daily duties, and so on), as well as by reducing the threat of exposure to the most dangerous damaging factors (ensuring nuclear, radiation, environmental, fire, electrical, and other safety). To this end, the commander (chief) has established a procedure for managing the security of military service in subordinate troops (forces), and has assigned a coordinating role in this area to headquarters at all levels.

As for the Comprehensive Plan for Improving the Work of Military Administration Bodies to Ensure the Safety of Military Service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for the Period up to 2000, this document provided for the development of a number of additional regulations by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in order to implement the provisions of the Concept for the Safety of Military Service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

In this regard, the following orders of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation have been prepared and issued: Order No. 314 of 1998 "On the Procedure for Performing High-Risk Operations in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation".quot; and N 457 "On the establishment of commissions for the safety of military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation"; 1999 N 210 "On approval of lists of military positions associated with increased danger to life and health" and 2000 N 196 "On amendments to the Order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation 1999 N 210" 1999 N 593 "On the organization in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation of a competition for the best military unit (military educational institution of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation) to create and ensure safe conditions for military service". The 1999 Order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation "On the Procedure for Conducting Inspections in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation" specifies the criteria for assessing the safety of military service in a unit or military unit.

Of particular practical importance is Order No. 280 of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation dated 1999, "On the Death of Military Personnel as a Result of Violations of Safety Requirements and Additional Measures to Create and Ensure Safe Conditions for Military Service," which provides for the annual holding of a month-long military service safety campaign in the Armed Forces, as well as comprehensive practical training sessions for all categories of military personnel on compliance with safety requirements during daily activities before the start of each training period. In 2000, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, military districts, Airborne Troops, and the main and central departments of the Russian Ministry of Defense will publish collections of standard safety requirements for organizing the main types of daily activities of the troops (forces).

Many issues related to the practical activities of military unit officials in ensuring the safety of military service (including planning this work, summarizing its results, and so on) are detailed in the 1998 General Staff Directive No. 31

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"On measures to improve the organization of daily activities and combat training of troops (forces), ensuring law and order and military discipline, and ensuring the safety of military service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation".

It should be emphasized that the work on improving the legal and regulatory framework for ensuring the safety of military service will continue in the future. On July 5, 2000, the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation signed Order No. 285 "On Approval of the Instruction on Training Military Personnel to Meet Safety Requirements in Daily Activities in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation". It is planned to complete the development and approval of the draft order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation "On approval of the Regulations on the Procedure for Investigating Injuries (Wounds, Injuries, Contusions) and Other accidents involving military personnel in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation". A number of other documents will also be prepared.

Thus, the regulatory and legal framework for ensuring the safety of military service in general, which has been developed in recent years in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, allows military command and control bodies and military officials to respond adequately to the increased importance of this issue in the daily activities of troops (forces) and to effectively organize their work to implement appropriate measures to prevent the deaths and injuries of military personnel.

The legal and regulatory framework for ensuring the safety of military service, even if it is perfectly designed, is a necessary but insufficient condition for successfully preventing the deaths and injuries (wounds, traumas, and contusions) of military personnel. Much, if not all, of the work to preserve the lives and health of military personnel depends on the position and personal contribution of the commander (chief) and staff officials at all levels, as well as their ability to organize the daily activities of their personnel in a competent and planned manner. In this regard, it is crucial for every commander (chief) to strictly adhere to the provisions of Article 77 of the Internal Service Regulations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which outlines a general methodological approach to creating and ensuring safe working conditions for personnel and preventing deaths and injuries (wounds, traumas, and contusions) among military personnel during the performance of their duties (exercises, tasks, and work).

To create and ensure safe conditions for personnel activities and to prevent death and injuries (wounds, injuries and contusions) of military personnel when performing official tasks (exercises, works) commander (chief) is obliged:

1. Establish the necessary safety requirements for combat duty, working with weapons and military equipment, marching, conducting exercises, combat shooting (launches), flights, special training or work, and guard duty and internal service.

In this case, the commander (chief) must determine:

- hazardous and harmful factors, substances that can affect personnel during the execution of a task, and the possible consequences of careless handling of these substances (electric current, moving parts of mechanisms, units of machine and other equipment, vapors of fuel components, fuel and lubricants, carbon monoxide and explosive gases, altitude, limited oxygen in closed containers and wells, poisonous and toxic properties of special liquids, acids, electrolytes, paints, and others);

- specific requirements that must be strictly adhered to in order to preserve the lives and health of military personnel performing their duties (exercises, work), as well as organizational and technical measures to protect personnel from potential exposure to hazardous and harmful factors;

- the procedure for organizing and carrying out a task (exercise, work), the appointment of supervisors, performers, and persons for monitoring, and the definition of means for achieving the set goal, as well as means of protection and insurance;

- the procedure for emergency situations. In this case, based on the prediction of possible emergency situations, the forces and means for their elimination (localization) and the procedure for providing pre-medical care should be determined.

2. To inform subordinates of the established safety requirements in a timely manner before the start of classes, work, and other activities, and to set tasks for their implementation. At the commander's (chief's, work manager's) discretion, the established safety requirements may be communicated through the conduct of an instruction (targeted, unscheduled).

3. Before starting classes, work, and other activities, personally ensure that safe conditions have been created and maintained at the locations where tasks (exercises, work) are performed, including:

- supervisors (senior) and control persons are appointed and know the procedure for carrying out and monitoring classes and works, and are present at the places where they are carried out;

- personnel are trained, know the scope and procedure for performing duties during classes, works, have sufficient skills to perform them safely, are allowed to work independently, are informed of the security requirements established by the commander (chief) (if necessary, targeted or unscheduled briefings are conducted), military personnel know the consequences of possible violations of the established security requirements;

- the training site (workplace) meets the safety requirements established by regulatory documents and is equipped with protective equipment, insurance, fire extinguishing equipment, communication and alarm systems, first aid equipment, documentation, tools, and other necessary equipment;

- the personnel knows the procedure and is able to act in emergency situations, and has practical skills in providing pre-medical assistance to victims.

4. To ensure strict compliance with the established safety requirements, the following measures should be taken:

- to organize and carry out continuous monitoring of safe

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performing official tasks (exercises, work), and performing other official activities personally and through subordinate officials;

- take measures in the course of control to prevent the death and injury (wounds, injuries, contusions) of personnel, in cases of detection of violations of safety requirements or in emergency situations, suspend the performance of official tasks (exercises, work), other activities of official activities, suspend from their performance (production) persons who committed violations, and take measures to prevent the death and injury (wounds, injuries, contusions) of personnel, these include the necessary measures of influence, if necessary, conduct unscheduled briefings and additional classes on safety requirements.

At the end of the performance of a service task (exercises, work), the place of its performance (workplace) is put in order and is accepted by the head of the training session (work). At the same time, it is necessary to make sure that there are no people, foreign objects, tools, that fire safety measures have been taken, that electrical appliances have been turned off, and that weapons and military equipment have been returned to their original and safe positions. At the end of training sessions, work, and the return of weapons and military equipment to their original positions, the commander (chief) receives reports from the heads of the training sessions, work, and the individuals who monitored their performance.

Thus, the safety of military service is a complex problem, and the authority of the Armed Forces in society and the trust of citizens in them depend on its solution. Therefore, today, the main focus of the activities of leaders of all ranks should be on measures to prevent the deaths of military personnel, to preserve their physical and moral-psychological health, and to ensure the social well-being of their subordinates.

Colonel Valery ARTAMONOV, Head of the Department of Military Service and Security at the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

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