MILITARY OPPOSES HAVING SOLDIERS SERVE NEAR HOME.

Russian officers believe that allowing soldiers to serve near theirhomes–an innovation of the Gorbachev era–has had a negativeimpact on discipline and morale, Samara’s Soldat Otechestva(no. 54) said. Soldiers serving near home frequently leave theirposts, and even when they do so with permission, their behaviorangers other soldiers. Another complaint of Russian officers concernsproposals to move to an all-volunteer force. Leningrad’s military paper Na Strazhe Rodiny said June 27 that such a program would quickly leave Russia "without any trained reservists."

Moscow Court Reopens Libel Suit Against Yeltsin.