MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia has no more than 2,000 people willing to undergo alternative civil service, Lieutenant General Vasily Smirnov, deputy chief of the General Staff mobilization department, told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
According to him, the number of people willing to undergo alternative civil service will depend on the legislation that will be passed on the issue. "If the bill envisaging abolition of all kinds of draft deferments submitted by several members of the State Duma is approved the number of people opting for alternative civil service will grow to 200,000," Smirnov said.
At the same time if the law on alternative service is comparable and compatible to the law on military service, the figure is likely to make 2,000.
Only 620 people undergo alternative civil service in Ukraine, Smirnov added.
Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov will host a conference on Saturday to update the bill on alternative civil service. "We are interested in its soonest completion and submission to the State Duma," Smirnov stressed.