Following my post about Russia’s dire demographic trends along comes this sad story about suicides in the Russian armed forces.

All armies have these problems and do their best to play down the problem. The British Army in Bosnia had a significant number of suicides. One theory had it that better communications with friends and family back home made it more likely that bad news (eg break-up of relationship) would arrive with much more ‘immediacy’ and cause greater depression among the troops on the ground than might have happened before email and cheap telephone calls.

Plus, alas, shorter rifles made it easier…

That said, the Soviet Army had a richly deserved reputation for brutality against its own people.

I recall a Queen’s Messenger telling me how he had seen a Soviet troop train at the station in Outer Mongolia. The troops were being transported in cattle trucks, poorly equipped. When a VIP arrived at the station a screaming officer had beaten at the soldiers with a stick to get them to lie down and not be seen, so shameful was their condition.

Traditions take a long time to change.

Update: the BBC quickly follows this story with one about US military suicides. Balance!

What is the significance of these stories anyway?

Someone must know how these suicide rates compare with the ‘normal’ suicide rates of young people across the USA. The US army is Big as is the Russian army – how many suicides might be expected ‘on average’ in each country among a civilian population of that size and age/gender profile?