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Soviet Union [USSR] MILITARY MANPOWER
According to the Soviet Constitution, all citizens have a
"sacred" duty to defend the Soviet Union, to enhance its power and
prestige, and to serve in its armed forces. The armed forces have
been manned through conscription based on the provisions of the
1967 Law on Universal Military Service. In 1989 about 75 percent of
Soviet armed forces personnel were conscripts, and 5 percent were
career noncommissioned officers (NCOs). The professional officer
corps constituted 20 percent of the armed forces. An extensive
reserve and mobilization system would augment regular forces in
wartime. The Soviet Union also had a compulsory premilitary
training program for the country's youth. In the late 1980s, the
number of draft-age youths was stable, but fewer Russians and more
non-Russians were being inducted into the armed forces.
Data as of May 1989
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