MOSCOW. Nov 29 (Interfax-AVN) - As soon as some of the deferments are abolished, the number of youth subject to conscription for service in the Russian Armed Forces and other unformed agencies will grow by 20-25%, Colonel General Vasily Smirnov, Armed Forces deputy chief of staff, told Interfax-Military News Agency Tuesday.
"We expect that the State Duma will abolish eight or nine deferments. As soon as this is done next year, we will be able to enlist 20-25% more freshmen," Smirnov said.
He maintained that the amendments to the law on military service, which have been drawn up by the Defense Ministry, are still being considered by the country's government.
"As soon as the bill is approved by the government, it will handed over to the State Duma for consideration," he said.
Smirnov emphasized that the so-called professional deferments will be abolished entirely.
"Employees of defense industry enterprises (and there are about 420 such companies in Russia) will no longer enjoy deferments, as well as village school teachers and those who intended to continue education at specialized vocational schools," he said.
Smirnov also said that deferments for students of higher educational institutes will undoubtedly be retained, as well as for those youth who lost parents in wars.
He added that only 9% of all youth subject to conscription are enlisted at the present time.
"The remaining 90% are exempt from conscription for official reasons or enjoy deferments, which has been creating difficulties in satisfying the Armed Forces' need in personnel in the past several years," he said.