OE Watch Commentary: Russia recently celebrated the 100th anniversary of the creation of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army (RKKA). As the excerpted article from Russia’s official news agency TASS points out, “On January 28, 1918, Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Vladimir Lenin (Ulyanov) signed a decree setting up the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army. On February 23, the recruitment of volunteers into the Red Army began.” The holiday has since been renamed as “Defender of the Fatherland Day.”
Lev Trotsky, one of the founding fathers of the RKKA, used a specially designed armored train to both coordinate military actions and to maintain and raise the morale of Red Army soldiers. In a similar vein, the excerpted article from the pro-Kremlin source, Izvestiya, describes the development of new “multimedia all-terrain vehicles” designed to provide “multimedia equipment for educational work and for organizing servicemen’s leisure activities in field conditions.” According to the article, the “multifunction information system [PMIK]” is capable of creating “a Wi-Fi network and transmit video in HD resolution” in addition to producing “various printed materials.” The equipment is still under development, and each “military district will receive two PMIKs for testing.”
The article goes on to assert that this new equipment will allow “officer-rank educators…[to] create modern informational products: video clips, short films, and electronic or printed newspapers and magazines.” It quotes a military expert who claims that “great attention has always been devoted in the Russian Army to keeping servicemen informed,” and that such material “helps raise soldiers’ combat morale and to distract them from the difficult living conditions.” The article points out that “the new system’s capabilities will make it possible to create a high-quality informative media product that is comprehensible to every soldier,” but makes no mention of using the equipment for offensive purposes to spread disinformation. End OE Watch Commentary (Finch)
Russian officer-rank educators have received “multimedia all-terrain vehicles.” The Defense Ministry has begun procuring mobile multifunction information systems [PMIK]. A PMIK is a van carrying multimedia equipment for educational work and for organizing servicemen’s leisure activities in field conditions. With the aid of it, one can create a Wi-Fi network and transmit video in HD resolution. The system also makes it possible to produce various printed materials -- combat news bulletin leaflets, newspapers, et al. In the opinion of experts, this will boost the effectiveness of work with the generation of soldiers that has grown up in the high-tech age.
The Defense Ministry has informed Izvestiya that the basic decision on the procurement has already been made. Every military district will receive two PMIKs for testing. A total of eight systems will be purchased, for a sum of 152 million rubles….
…The PMIK is being installed inside a van carried aboard a Ural or KamAZ vehicle with enhanced off-road capability. With the aid of it, officer-rank educators will create modern informational products: video clips, short films, and electronic or printed newspapers and magazines….
…Military expert Oleg Zheltonozhko noted that great attention has always been devoted in the Russian Army to keeping servicemen informed. Even in a combat situation, deputy commanders for political affairs have regularly shown movies and published combat news bulletin leaflets. This helps raise soldiers’ combat morale and to distract them from the difficult living conditions….
…The new system’s capabilities will make it possible to create a high-quality informative media product that is comprehensible to every soldier. Today’s technology significantly simplifies the process of compiling audio and video reports. Of actually creating an engaging topic within a few hours…