MOSCOW. June 8 (Interfax-AVN) - The number of soldiers serving in the Russian Strategic Missile Troops (RVSN) who tried narcotic drugs in civilian life is increasing each year, the RVSN Vladimir Rocket Division Commander Sergei Siver said on Thursday.
"Unfortunately, the percentage of our soldiers who earlier used or tried narcotic drugs is rising each year. Such soldiers are subject to relevant sanctions that bar them from handling nuclear weapons," he said on the Rossiya-24 television channel.
The RVSN are using modern devices to identify soldiers who used drugs, and to control the military discipline, Siver said. "It is a comprehensive system of nuclear weapons access and personnel monitoring," he said.
In particular, the system includes video cameras installed in the RVSN barracks, the commander said.
At the same time, "I would not be totally honest if I said that we resolved the problem of military discipline," he said.
Military discipline is primarily the responsibility of a commander of a platoon, company, division or an army base. "A good commander means good military discipline and high professionalism. Overall, the problem of military discipline is not critical in our division. As a commander, I am satisfied with the state of military discipline," he said.