Andrei Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, proposed to “engage with the local population” to protect the Russian borders. According to him, the Russians, who voluntarily joined the people’s staff, could protect the state borders.
“Unfortunately, we no longer have the opportunity, as in the Soviet Union, where the entire country along the perimeter was guarded by the military units of the USSR border troops. Therefore, there are now slightly different ways of protecting borders,” he said. URA.ru.
In his opinion, such a measure is necessary to protect the country from sabotage by Ukraine. He also noted that the practice of protecting borders by local people is practiced in “many countries”, including European countries, but did not give concrete examples.
The MP believes that it is important first to make an appropriate decision that will allow the combatants to keep the borders, and only then to discuss the necessary conditions for its implementation.
“It is necessary to decide in principle whether we need it or not. I think it’s necessary today,” said Kartapolov.
Next, a “broad range of topics” will be discussed. “Which departments, how many there will be, what kind of organization do they have. Will it be a weapon or not? Who will they obey? Who will control them? Who will they interact with?”, — said the deputy.
Simultaneously with Kartapolov’s statements, Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov declaration On the need to strengthen the counter-terrorism protection of critical facilities in Russia due to the threat of terrorist attacks from Ukraine.
folk squads
At the end of 2022, the formation of voluntary people’s troops to protect the Russian border in the Belgorod and Kursk regions on the Ukrainian border began. Among other things, they are trained by the private military company Wagner.
According to the head of the Kursk region, Roman Starovoit, since the beginning of the military operation, more than 2 thousand people joined the people’s troops, the authorities count on the entry of about 6 thousand citizens. In December last year, they announced the creation of self-defense units in the Belgorod region.
On the need to form trained armed popular troops in the border areas in April declaration Dmitry Gusev, assistant of the Just Russia – For Truth group.
“People need to be motivated to get there. Maybe there will be permission, maybe there will be some kind of additional fee. They need to be organized. This duty, of course, belongs to the authorities and our Armed Forces,” he said.
According to him, such citizens should be able to carry weapons. He also expressed the view that if the authorities do not undertake the training of the squad, people will do it on their own.
“We have no other choice. If the state does not do this, the people will do it themselves. Because they will understand that they cannot protect their homes any other way.”
In turn, the Secretary of the General Council of “United Russia” Andrey Turchak proposed giving the right to bear arms to the fighters of territorial defense of the volunteer people’s troops.
In March 2022, the Public Council of the FSB supported the law on the financial support of regional authorities for volunteers participating in guarding the state border. Amendments to the law “On the state border of the Russian Federation”, which came into force on December 30, 2021, allowed regional authorities and local governments to provide support to Russians who voluntarily participated in the protection of the state border at the expense of the regional budget. .