MOSCOW, October 31 (RIA Novosti) − Russia’s Defense Ministry plans to launch a campaign to root out drug abuse in the army and military schools, local media reported Thursday.
The problem of drug abuse in the armed forces is particularly widespread among warrant officers and cadets of the Defense Ministry’s military schools and colleges, some 20 percent of whom have used or dealt drugs, Izvestia daily reported, citing a draft of the plan.
Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov was quoted as saying that drug abuse was a real problem in the forces, but could not be described as “critical.”
The ministry plans to carry out regular snap drug testing among the ranks, as well as setting up internal working groups of senior officers, healthcare specialists and psychologists.
Russia's chief drug enforcement official, Viktor Ivanov, said earlier this year that 8.5 million people use drugs more or less regularly in Russia.
