yaniv%mush.huji.ac.il@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU (ran el-Yaniv) (07/17/90)
From: ran el-Yaniv <yaniv%mush.huji.ac.il@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU> [mod.note: I have accepted this posting as "informational only," because it contains some interesting data about the composition of Soviet Ground Forces. Followups will only be accepted if they address that issue alone, or otherwise work back into the technological sphere. The last question in particular should be considered rhetorical; if you wish to discuss it further, please address followups to the appropriate talk.politics group. - Bill ] We have just been informed that the Republic of Ukraine has decreed (through its parliament) that it is independent of the Soviet Union and is about to implement a number of steps to underline the said independence. An army is to be created, together with security services, special units, etc. What may be unknown in the West is the fact that, roughly, 90% of the Red Army NCOs and WOs are Ukranian. Many of the junior officers (up to Leutenant Colonel) are also Ukranian. Among the most effective policies employed by the Soviet regime was to station troops far from the places of their origin. No one was exempt from this rule. The armour brigade stationed near each major city (for security and riot "control") were always "foregners." Ukraine's attempt to create a regional force must be interpreted as an act of military defiance. An interesting aspect of the independence declaration is the fact that Ukraine is an INDEPENDENT member of the United Nations (together with Soviet Union and Byelorussia). Thus, the independence declaration "boots" Ukraine into the realm of sovereign states, or does it not..? Will Gorbachev intervene militarily? yaniv, etc