Russian Federation / Northern Caucasus: New initiative to promote the law

A five-day course on international humanitarian law was held from 22 to 26 October in Vladikavkaz for 29 officers of the 58th Army, which is currently involved both in combat operations in Chechnya and in peace-keeping operations in South Ossetia, in neighbouring Georgia.

The course, which was held on the initiative of the northern Caucasus military command, was designed to implement an order issued in August 2001 by the Russian Minister of Defence Sergei B. Ivanov to ensure respect for international humanitarian law by the Russian armed forces. It was conducted jointly by instructors from the Combined Arms Academy and the Main Military Prosecutor’s Office and by ICRC experts based in Moscow and the northern Caucasus.

“The law of war should be considered as a sort of insurance protecting civilians and their property against illegal decisions”, said one of the participants. It was unanimously agreed that such training should be given to other units engaged in operations in the Caucasus.

Meanwhile, a regular two-week course on international humanitarian law drew to a close on 26 October in the town of Solnechnogorsk, in Moscow province. This course, which is also supported by the ICRC and has now been held 11 times, was attended by 29 senior officers from the Russian Ministry of Defence and the Federal Border Service.