Campaigns in Syria, Ukraine bolster Russian military image

KUBINKA, RUSSIA

For years, generations of young men have done all they could to avoid being drafted into the Russian army as it was plagued with corruption and incompetence.

Now, with state media as its main cheerleader, the military is shaking off its image and projecting itself as a key element of Russia’s resurgence under President Vladimir Putin.

In the West, the 2014 seizure of Crimea and the bombing campaign in Syria are condemned as brutal and illegal.

At home, these events have bolstered national pride, burnishing the army’s standing and even acting as a recruitment tool.

And it’s boom time for businesses that specialise in military-themed goods and clothing.

Among those making a profit is salesman Dmitry Yeremeyev, whose company Voentorg has seen military-style clothing for all ages, shoes and army rations fly off the shelves.

“When they buy our clothes, customers feel proud because they see the logo of the Russian army on them,” he said.

The firm — privatised in 1997 but working exclusively for the military — says it has opened more stores in Moscow.

“We help to bring the army closer to the people,” says its president Vladimir Pavlov.

“We can see that it is getting closer because there’s much more interest in the army than before.”