MOSCOW. Oct 20 (Interfax-AVN) - Chechnya's autumn conscription campaign is proceeding in accordance with the federal laws and presidential decrees, said Valery Astanin, head of the manning section in the General Staff's recruitment directorate.
"Reports saying that the autumn conscription campaign has been cancelled in Chechnya at the elders' request are absolutely untrue," Astanin told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"Conscription of citizens for active-duty service is progressing in Chechnya in strict compliance with federal laws and a Russian presidential order to this effect," he said.
"Conscription peculiarities in Chechnya are due to the ongoing anti-terrorist operation on the republic's territory. Registration of potential draftees in district military commissioner's offices is not always on a proper level, and there are problems in the functioning of draft and medical boards on the territory of the republic. All these factors naturally affect the recruitment of Chechens for the army and the quality of their training," Astanin noted.
He said that many young men due for recruitment in Chechnya have poor health and are entitled to deferrals. "Only one tenth of the young men in Chechnya are actually recruited. The others are entitled to legitimate deferrals. More than 50% of the young men due for recruitment have health problems and cannot be sent to units with higher requirements," he said.