Date: Tue, 27 May 97 15:50:32 CDT
From: rich%pencil@cmsa.Berkeley.EDU (Rich Winkel)
Subject: The Upheaval in Russia
/** headlines: 165.0 **/
** Topic: The Upheaval in Russia **
** Written 9:04 PM May 26, 1997 by newsdesk in cdp:headlines **
/* Written 8:40 PM May 24, 1997 by caos@anditel.andinet.lat.net in iww.news */
/* ---------- "The Upheaval in Russia" ---------- */
From: heiko@easynet.co.uk (by way of Carlos Moreno <caos@anditel.andinet.lat.net>)

Air Force Pilots on Hunger-Strike, Demand Allowances

By Anatoliy Yurkin, Itar-Tass, 21 May 1997

MOSCOW, May 21 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian air force personnel of the glorious military-transport aviation regiment have declared a hunger-strike to protest against delays in money allowances to them.

Itar-Tass learned in the Russian Air Force press center today that Captain Aleksandr Ivanov and Senior Lieutenant Aleksandr Shcherbakov had called a hunger-strike since Monday.

They are serving in the regiment, which is stationed at Krechevitsiy of the Novgorod region.

Other thirty military men of the regiment supported the hunger-strike.

The military pilots have not received their money allowances since February this year. Ration, medical and house rent allowances have not been paid for the preceding 11 months.

Wives of pilots, who are stationed at the air force base Khurba of the Far East Military district, tried to block runways. After holding a stormy meeting in Shaykovka, which is a strategic air force base, women dispatched telegrams to President Boris Yeltsin, Defence Minister Igor Rodionov, Vice-Premier Boris Nemtsov and State Duma deputy Lev Rokhlin.

In Saltsy the aviators were calmed down by telling them that the money for them has been transferred on Monday as a part payment of their arrears for February.

According to the Air Force press center, all regiments, including the long-range strategic aviation which ensures Russia's national security, have not received money since February. Funds are being allocated in minimum sums, which do not suffice for clearing arrears even for a month. In 1996 the Defence Ministry received only a two-third of its grants.

Out of 20.7 trillion roubles allocated for construction and maintenance of the Armed Forces during the first quarter of 1997, in conformance with budget provisions, as a matter of fact, only 11 trillion roubles (53.1 per cent) were received. Since June 1996 payments of food allowances have been virtually stopped. There are no funds to pay travelling allowances to military personnel and members of their families for their vacations, and no increments and bonus are being paid for combat duty and long-term sailings.