Military emergencies

In recent years, the world has undergone significant changes in the military-political and socio-economic spheres. Experts believe that one of the important features of armed struggle now and in the future is that in the course of war and military conflicts, not only military installations and troops, but also economic objects and civilians will be under attack. The armed forces of the 21st century, according to foreign military theorists, should be used not so much for conducting traditional military operations, as in order to deprive the enemy of the possibility of resistance by destroying his most important economic and infrastructure facilities. This can be achieved through the widespread use of special operations forces, air and sea-based cruise missile strikes, as well as the massive use of electronic warfare equipment. These methods have already been practically used by the United States and NATO during operations in Iraq and Yugoslavia. According to experts, hostilities will acquire a significantly greater spatial scope and become more transient, but this will not mean a mandatory reduction in the total duration of hostilities.

In the event of local armed conflicts and the deployment of large-scale wars, the sources of military emergencies will be the dangers arising during the conduct of hostilities or as a result of these actions. The characteristics of these hazards are given in Table 1.

The dangers of wartime have characteristic, inherent only features:

firstly, they are planned, prepared and carried out by people, therefore, they are more complex than natural and man-made;

secondly, the means of destruction are also used by people, therefore, in the implementation of these dangers there is less spontaneous and accidental, weapons are used, as a rule, at the most inopportune moment for the victim of aggression and in the most vulnerable place for her;

thirdly, the development of means of attack always outstrips the development of adequate means of defense against their impact, therefore, for a certain period of time, they have superiority;

Table 1

Dangers arising from the conduct of hostilities or as a result of these actions

fourthly, the latest scientific achievements are used to create means of attack, the best specialists and the most advanced scientific and industrial base are involved; this leads to the fact that it is virtually impossible to defend against some means of destruction (nuclear missiles);

Fifth, an analysis of the trends in the evolution of military dangers indicates that future wars will increasingly acquire a terrorist, inhuman character, and the civilian population of the belligerent countries will serve as an object of military influence in order to undermine the enemy's will and ability to resist.

Dangers of a military nature will arise from the use of nuclear, chemical, biological and conventional weapons.

Nuclear weapon today it is the most powerful weapon of mass destruction. The damaging factors of this weapon are a shock wave, light radiation, penetrating radiation, radioactive contamination and an electromagnetic pulse.

In terms of the scale and nature of their action, nuclear weapons differ significantly from other weapons of warfare. The almost simultaneous effect of its damaging factors determines the combined nature of the effect on people, equipment and structures.

Chemical weapon is also one of the types of weapons of mass destruction. Its damaging effect is based on the use of combat toxic chemicals (BTXV). Combat toxic chemicals include toxic substances (OS) and toxins that have a damaging effect on the human and animal body, as well as phytotoxicants that can be used to damage various types of vegetation.

Binary chemical munitions are a type of chemical weapon. These munitions are based on the principle of refusing to use a finished toxic product and transferring the final stage of the technological process of obtaining OM into the munition itself. This stage is carried out in a short period of time after the projectile has been fired (launching a rocket, dropping a bomb). During this time, the destruction of the devices that isolate the separately safe components of the OM and intensive mixing of the components occurs in the ammunition, which contributes to the rapid development of the reaction of the formation of the poisonous substance.

The use of chemical weapons can have severe environmental and genetic consequences, the elimination of which will take a long time and great efforts.

Bacteriological weapon- these are biological agents (bacteria, viruses, rickettsia, fungi and toxic products of their vital activity), spread by living infected carriers of diseases (rodents, insects) or in the form of powders and suspensions in order to cause mass diseases of people, farm animals and plants.

Pathogens of various especially dangerous infectious diseases can be used as bacterial agents: plague, anthrax, brucellosis, glanders, tularemia, cholera, yellow and other types of fever, spring-summer encephalitis, typhus and typhoid fever, influenza, malaria, dysentery, natural smallpox.

Bacteriological weapons have some features that distinguish them from other weapons.

These include:

Ability to cause massive diseases in humans and animals;

Long duration of action (for example, spore forms of anthrax bacteria retain their damaging properties for several years);

Difficulty detecting microorganisms and their toxins in the external environment;

The ability of pathogens and their toxins, together with the air, to penetrate into unsealed shelters and premises, infecting people and animals in them.

TO conventional means of destruction include fire and strike weapons using artillery, anti-aircraft, aviation, small arms and engineering ammunition filled with conventional explosives, precision weapons, volumetric explosion ammunition, incendiary mixtures and substances, as well as some of the latest types of weapons (infrasonic, radiological, laser).

Cruise missiles occupy a special place among high-precision weapons. These missiles are equipped with a complex combined control system that guides them to targets according to pre-drawn flight maps, including at low altitudes, which makes it difficult to detect them and greatly increases the likelihood of hitting a target. Guided aerial bombs, reconnaissance and strike, anti-aircraft and anti-tank missile systems are also precision weapons.

In recent years, volumetric explosion ammunition has become widespread. The principle of operation of such ammunition (vacuum bombs) is based on the principle of detonating a fuel-air mixture. Their main damaging factor is a shock wave, the power of which is several times higher than the explosion energy of a conventional explosive. In addition, during an explosion, the temperature reaches 2500–3000 ° C. As a result, a lifeless space about the size of a football field is formed at the site of the explosion.

The damaging effect of an incendiary weapon is based on the direct effect on a person of high temperatures created by the combustion of incendiary substances and mixtures. Incendiary weapons are subdivided into incendiary mixtures (napalms), metallized incendiary mixtures based on petroleum products (pyrogel), termite and thermite compounds, and white phosphorus.

Recently, the international and domestic terrorism.

In world legal practice, this type of threat to life safety is considered as the most dangerous crime. In terms of goals, terrorism is subdivided into political, nationalistic, religious, selfish and unaddressed, and in terms of scale - into individual, group, state and international.

Political terrorism aims to conquer political power in the country. There are two types of such terrorism. Leftist terrorism arising as a result of social conflict, when the economic situation of the state and the population deteriorates sharply. Right-wing terrorism expresses the desire of some part of society to establish a reactionary totalitarian regime. As a rule, he is imbued with the spirit of chauvinism, racism, Nazism and anti-communism. Class terrorism is a kind of political terrorism. However, its object is not politicians or public figures, but representatives of a certain class (social group).

Nationalist terrorism is organized and carried out by ethnic groups that seek to achieve independence from the state, or to ensure the superiority of their nation over others. The purpose of such terrorism can also be the protection of territorial integrity or the preservation of their ethnic group.

Religious terrorism is usually carried out in order to establish their religion as the main one. In this case, the object of terror can be not only religious figures, but also people professing a different religion.

Self-serving terrorism aims to improperly obtain financial resources by taking hostages. Sometimes terrorists put forward political demands along with financial ones.

Unaddressed (psychological) terrorism is usually not motivated. At the same time, mental aggression is practically the only reason for committing a terrorist act and is demonstrative in nature.

Individual terrorism is violence perpetrated by one person against another. It can also be characterized as a personal rebellion against society.

Group terrorism is organized and carried out by a group of people who pursue certain goals and have an organizational structure. This type of terrorism is the most widespread and widespread.

State terrorism is expressed in the policies pursued by politicians and parties in power in the country. The activities of the fascist regimes in Germany and Italy, the Pol Pot regime in Cambodia can be cited as examples of state terror.

International terrorism, as a rule, is carried out on the territory of several countries. It can be carried out not only against citizens and various organizations, but also against states in general. A striking example of such terrorism is the destruction of the buildings of the World Trade Center in the United States (2001), the explosion in the Moscow metro (2004), the explosions in Spain (2004).

Questions and tasks

1. What danger do armed conflicts pose to the civilian population today?

5. What are the main sources of military emergencies?

3. What types of weapons of mass destruction do you know? Briefly describe each of them.

4. What means of destruction are conventional weapons?

5. Justify the need to improve the civil defense system to protect the population in modern conditions.

6. Describe the main types of modern terrorism. _

Similar information.

INTRODUCTION

The relevance of this work lies in the fact that the problem of maintaining the health and working capacity of persons exposed to the factors of extreme situations has recently attracted the attention of a large number of researchers. This phenomenon is due to the fact that annually tens and hundreds of thousands of people become victims of various natural, technological or social calamities and disasters.

For the first time, experts started talking about the impact of participation in military operations on the psyche of a soldier after the US military operations in Vietnam - the so-called "Vietnamese syndrome" arose. According to a medical examination of Vietnam War veterans, in 1988, 30.6% of Americans had post-traumatic stress disorder, 22.5% - partial. Borderline neuropsychiatric disorders were found in 55.8% of people with post-traumatic stress disorder, they were 5 times more likely to be unemployed than others, 70% had divorces, 47.3% were isolated from people, expression hostility - 40%, went to jail or were arrested - 50% [ Kolodzin B. "What is post-traumatic stress or How to live after a mental trauma." Copyright 1999 by American Psychiatric Press, Inc].

Speaking about the consequences of natural disasters and technological disasters for human health, it is necessary to bear in mind not only the presence of direct sanitary losses caused by damaging factors (shock wave, drowning, fires, etc.), but also psycho-traumatic effects leading to mental disorders of various severity. Researchers who studied the frequency of mental disorders during earthquakes came to the conclusion that at the moment of exposure, acute reactive psychoses occur in 10-25% of the affected population, and at subsequent stages of the catastrophe, disorders are detected in 35%. Moreover, after the end of catastrophes or natural disasters, a significant part of the victims has a persistent health disorder.

The problem of post-traumatic stress disorder has become more and more urgent in recent years. This is due to the fact that all over the world and in Russia, including there are many hotbeds of tension, accompanied by active hostilities. An increasing number of servicemen are involved in resolving these conflicts and are participating in battles.

Many authors described various states of military trauma among participants in various wars, such terms as "Korean syndrome", "Vietnamese syndrome", "Afghan syndrome" appeared. Some authors began to use the term "Chechen syndrome".

In modern armed conflicts, sanitary losses of a psychiatric profile are 1 - 3%, in the Great Patriotic War - 10 - 12%. At first glance, this makes the task easier for military psychiatrists. However, given the clear predominance of acute psychological stress reactions among mental disorders in local wars (at least 50% of the personnel involved in active hostilities), the number of servicemen in need of psychiatric treatment, incl. and medical and psychological assistance is increasing dramatically.

The aim of this work is to study the psychological consequences of local military conflicts.

1. The psychology of war

1. 1. Modern local conflicts and their impact on society

E. S. Senyavskaya [ Senyavskaya E.S. The psychology of war in the XX century: the historical experience of Russia. - M .: ROSSPEN, 1999.] says that all human history can be divided into two parts - war and peace. These are two polar states in which any society finds itself in its development and relationship with the external environment. Despite all the hopes of the best minds, the hopes and predictions of humanists that with the progress of civilization, extreme conflict, destructive forms of relationships in human society, including wars, will gradually come to naught, have not been justified. Moreover, in recent centuries, there has been a tendency not only to an increase in the frequency of wars, but also to a multiple increase in the scale of the territories covered by them and the masses of people, the number of countries and peoples involved in them, the degree of brutality, the number of victims and the amount of damage. The XX century actually became the apogee of human militancy and the evolution of war as a special socio-political phenomenon.

With regard to the tendencies of war and peace, Russia has developed in line with global laws. Throughout its history, it has experienced many wars, and the 20th century was no exception in this sense. On the contrary, the most difficult and bloody battles of modern times turned out to be two world wars (1914-1918 and 1939-1945), and both were called by contemporaries the Great and Patriotic ones, although later, due to historical circumstances, the First World War lost these patriotic names. But both the "pre-war", and especially the "interwar" (until 1941) periods that fell to the lot of our country were saturated with a huge number of large and small armed conflicts.

And although the country as a whole gradually switched to a “peaceful track”, for the Soviet Army the period after the end of World War II turned out to be not so “peaceful”. Its individual units and units, not to mention military advisers and specialists, took part in the Korean War of 1950-1953, in a number of local wars and military conflicts in Asia, the Middle East and Africa in the events in Hungary in 1956. and Czechoslovakia in 1968, border conflicts in the Far East and Kazakhstan in 1969.Finally, December 25, 1979

At the end of "perestroika" and especially after the collapse of the USSR, dozens of armed conflicts broke out on the territory of the former Soviet republics - conflicts in which various formations and structures of the once united army of a single state were involved. War in all its manifestations has become a way of life for hundreds of thousands of people who were previously called the Soviet people, many "hot spots" are still blazing or smoldering in the post-Soviet space [ Soloviev S.S. Transformation of military service values ​​// Sotsis. 1996. No. 9.].

1. 2. Participants in armed conflicts as an object of influence of a traumatic situation

Disasters, natural disasters, interethnic and interregional conflicts that have shocked our country in recent years, an increase in violence, etc. have clearly shown how important it is to help people - victims of hostilities and interethnic conflicts, as well as participants in hostilities.

In the modern life of many countries, including Russia, servicemen, especially those who take part in local conflicts within their countries and in hostilities abroad, occupy a special place in the group of people with an increased risk of developing psychogenic disorders. Post-traumatic stress disorder was first described in the United States after the Vietnam War. At all times, military service was accompanied by a complex of rather specific psychotraumatic effects. Army life with its various costs, the narrowing of the "degree of freedom" due to the need to "live by order", anxious tension and fear of death during the war, often unclear personal prospects and a number of many other largely inevitable psycho-traumatic factors quite naturally affect the state any soldier. Awareness of the lofty goal of military service, its heroization, allowed the soldiers to overcome many difficulties. At the same time, the attitude of society towards its defenders formed in them a sense of pride in their chosen life path and confidence in their social significance. With all the so-called "unpopular" wars in society, as evidenced by scientific data, the number of mental disorders in the armies of different countries of the world increased [Aleksandrovsky Yu.A. Borderline mental disorders. - M .: Medicine, 2000. - 496 p.].

From the stated positions, the situation that has developed in the Russian Army in recent years has given rise to a large number of mental disorders in many servicemen. During local wars, they are supplemented by personal and at the same time social and social "discourses" about the goals and methods of war and its consequences, which are most important for a modern belligerent officer and soldier. Military doctors are increasingly using such nontraditional, but reflecting clinical reality, terminological designations such as "combat fatigue", psychological stress reactions, and affective disorders. And also "Vietnamese", "Afghan", "Chechen" syndromes and others. 15-20% of servicemen who took part in the war in Afghanistan, in hostilities in Karabakh, Abkhazia, Tajikistan, Chechnya, according to the chief psychiatrist of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation V.V. Nechiporenko (1995), there are "chronic post-traumatic conditions" caused by stress. Up to 12% of combatants would like to devote their lives to any warring army. These people have developed their own perverted views on the prohibition of murder, robbery, violence. They replenish not only the ranks of soldiers in different countries of the world, but also criminal structures. This applies to the greatest extent to the participants in local wars, primarily in Afghanistan and Chechnya. Experts call these wars "an epidemic of immorality" (MM Reshetnikov), leading to the devaluation of the idea of ​​the army's liberation mission, to the criminalization and psychopathization of many military personnel [ Reshetnikov M.M. Psychic trauma St. Petersburg: East European Institute of Psychoanalysis, 2006. - 322 p.].

Analysis of the behavior of soldiers and officers, including in Afghanistan and Chechnya, allows us to draw attention to the fact that "along with real heroism, mutual assistance, fighting brotherhood and other relative positive attributes of war, robbery and murder (as the outcome of" showdowns "among their own) , medieval torture and cruelty to prisoners, perverted sexual violence against the population (especially in foreign territory), armed robbery and looting constitute an integral part of any war and are not isolated, but typical phenomena for any of the warring armies, as soon as they step on enemy ground.

Mental trauma, psychological shock and their consequences - this is what will determine the life attitude of survivors in military conflicts until the end of their days. [Aleksandrovsky Yu.A., Lobastov O.S., Spivak L.I., Shchukin B.P. Psychogenic conditions in extreme conditions. - M., 1991.].

2. Psychology of participants in armed conflicts

2. 1. Features of mental reactions in servicemen affected by the armed conflict

Traumatic events have happened to people at all times. But veterans of wars and local armed conflicts occupy a special place, because they have had too much of a dose of inhuman experiences. The horrors of war had an impact not only by their intensity, but also by their frequent repetition: traumas followed one after another, so that a person did not have time to "recover."

To see how natural this is and how important it is for peace of mind, let's turn again to the psychiatric definition: doctors believe that an event that has all the signs of a traumatic will have an effect on almost any person. And this means that the loss of mental balance, violent mental manifestations in this case are completely normal [ Trebukhov S.N., Trifonov B.A., Bunkova O.A. “On the question of the types of psychological response in wounded with signs of combat mental trauma. // Collection "Topical issues in the treatment of mental illness", Chelyabinsk, 2002.].

Analysis of the mental state of servicemen who performed their duties in extreme conditions of activity under significant psycho-emotional stress caused by the presence of a real vital threat suggests that the impact of psychogenic factors of such a threat causes negative changes in the structure of personal characteristics and the mental state of servicemen. For example, the results of a survey of the personnel of units that took part in peacekeeping operations and their peers who served in normal conditions indicate that the military personnel participating in hostilities differed from the control group by higher values ​​on the following test scales SMIL: agravation, hysteroid, psychopathy, masculinity-femininity, paranoia, psychasthenia, schizoid. The excess of the generally accepted norm in terms of the severity of astheno-neurotic characteristics was noted in 20% of the surveyed. The severity of the depressive state was observed in 27%, the severity of hysterical characteristics exceeded the norm in 7%, and the severity of psychopathic traits - in 48%; psychasthenic characteristics - in 28%, and paranoid and schizoid traits exceeded the norm in 24%. In general, about 53% of the surveyed military personnel of the peacekeeping forces had various excess of the generally accepted norm, which significantly exceeds the results of the survey of the control group. Consequently, the transferred traumatic effects caused by participation in combat operations do not pass without leaving a trace for the mental state of the participants [ Maklakov A.G. Psychological consequences of local military conflicts. Psychological journal, M., 1998.T. 19.No 2. ].

The problem of mental health of servicemen participating in modern local wars and armed conflicts is today one of the most urgent for Russian military psychiatry, and the psychological and psychiatric consequences of combat mental trauma (BFT), especially in the context of medical and rehabilitation tasks, is a zone of mutual scientific and practical interests of both civilian and military specialists. Combat stress should be understood as a multilevel process of adaptive activity of the human body in a combat situation, accompanied by the tension of the mechanisms of reactive self-regulation and the consolidation of specific adaptive psychophysiological changes [ Some psychological aspects of the formation and course of stress-related disorders in combatants // Calendar of the psychotherapist. - 1996. - N 1. - S. 5-16. (co-authors Litvintsev S. V., Nechiporenko V. V.)].

Clinical manifestations of combat mental trauma are closely related to the nature of hostilities and the duration of stay in a combat situation. Lack of social support from society, colleagues and commanders, insufficient cohesion of the unit, factors of biological deprivation (food, sleep, rest) are of significant modifying importance in its formation and dynamics. Factors of constitutional predisposition (diathesis) are significant in the initial period of being in a combat situation, with the prevailing response in the form of "escape from reality." Along with natural, "normal" psychological reactions of anxiety and fear without signs of dysfunction of mental activity in conditions of intense hostilities, transient mental disorders quite often occur - acute reactions to stress, having a picture of mixed and changing symptoms of depression, anxiety, anger, despair, agitation. hyperactivity or lethargy (up to dissociative stupor) against the background of stunnedness, some narrowing of the field of consciousness, inability to adequately respond to external stimuli, sometimes with subsequent partial or complete amnesia. [ Trebukhov S.N., Trifonov B.A., Bunkova O.A. “On the question of the types of psychological response in wounded with signs of combat mental trauma. // Collection "Topical issues in the treatment of mental illness", Chelyabinsk, 2002.]

A disorder of mental activity associated with a traumatic psyche caused by a combat situation is individual, but its degree largely depends on the totality of the reaction to this factor of the entire unit. The collective reaction has a strong influence on the discipline and organization of the units.

Specialists combine all mental disorders of wartime into three main groups. First of all, mental disorders are distinguished, the leading symptom of which is pathological fear. Its typical picture is: palpitations, cold sweat, dry mouth, trembling of the limbs, covering the whole body for an hour, involuntary separation of urine and feces, functional paralysis of the limbs, stuttering, loss of speech.

Distinguish between motor and numb forms of fear. Motor movements are, as a rule, various types of uncontrolled movements, for example: fleeing from a source of danger. A soldier, seized by a numb form of fear, is in a daze, his face is gray, his gaze is dying, contact with him is difficult.

The feeling of fear among people spreads like a chain reaction, which is explained by the lack of personal responsibility in an organized team and the emotions prevailing in its actions, which are most often of a primitive nature. This leads to the emergence of collective reactions, one of which is panic.

The second group of reactions is a person's attempts to "erase combat episodes from memory." The consequences of such reactions are most often various disciplinary offenses, alcohol consumption, drug addiction. As a rule, these reactions occur after hostilities, but they can also occur during the period.

The third group includes violations called combat fatigue associated with prolonged combat operations. In this group, "combat shock" is distinguished - a simple emotional reaction that occurs after several hours or days of intense hostilities. It is characterized by feelings of anxiety, depression and fear. "Combat overwork" - occurs after a few weeks of medium-intensity hostilities.

BPT is also distinguished by its severity. Their most frequent manifestations in a mild degree are excessive irritability, nervousness, withdrawal, loss of appetite, headaches, and fatigue. In cases of moderate severity, mental disorders are manifested in the form of a hysterical reaction, aggressiveness, temporary memory loss, depression, increased sensitivity to noise, pathological fear, sometimes turning into panic, loss of a sense of the reality of what is happening. In severe cases, the affected have impaired hearing, vision, speech, coordination of movements [ Aleksandrovsky Yu.A., Lobastov O.S., Spivak L.I., Shchukin B.P. Psychogenic conditions in extreme conditions. - M., 1991.].

2. 2. Symptoms and consequences of PTSD in former military personnel

When a person does not have the opportunity to discharge internal tension, his body and psyche find a way to adapt to this tension. This, in principle, is the mechanism of post-traumatic stress. Its symptoms - which collectively look like a mental disorder - are actually nothing more than deeply ingrained behaviors associated with extreme events in the past.

In post-traumatic stress disorder, the following clinical symptoms are observed [ Malkina-Pykh I. G. Extreme situations. - M .: Publishing house Eksmo, 2005 .-- 960 p.]:

1. Hypervigilance. A person closely monitors everything that happens around him, as if he is constantly in danger. But this danger is not only external, but also internal - it consists in the fact that unwanted traumatic impressions, which have destructive power, will break through into consciousness. Often, hypervigilance manifests itself in the form of constant physical stress. This physical stress that prevents you from relaxing and resting can create many problems. First, maintaining such a high level of alertness requires constant attention and enormous expenditure of energy. Secondly, a person begins to think that this is his main problem, and as soon as the tension can be reduced or relaxed, everything will be fine.

2. Exaggerated response. At the slightest surprise, a person makes rapid movements (throws himself to the ground at the sound of a low-flying helicopter, turns sharply and takes a fighting pose when someone approaches him from behind), suddenly shudders, rushes to run, shouts loudly, etc.

3. Dullness of emotions. It happens that a person has completely or partially lost the ability for emotional manifestations. It is difficult for him to establish close and friendly ties with others; joy, love, creativity, playfulness and spontaneity are inaccessible to him.

4. Aggressiveness. Seeking to solve problems with brute force. Although, as a rule, this applies to physical force, but there are also mental, emotional and verbal aggressiveness.

5. Impaired memory and concentration. A person experiences difficulties when it is required to concentrate or remember something, at least such difficulties arise under certain circumstances.

6. Depression. In a state of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression reaches the darkest and most hopeless depths of human despair, when everything seems pointless and useless. This feeling of depression is accompanied by nervous exhaustion, apathy and a negative attitude towards life.

7. General anxiety. It manifests itself at the physiological level (back aches, stomach cramps, headaches), in the mental sphere (constant anxiety and concern, "paranoid" phenomena - for example, an unreasonable fear of persecution), in emotional experiences (constant feeling of fear, self-doubt, complex guilt).

8. Attacks of rage. Not tides of moderate anger, but outbursts of rage. Many veterans report that these attacks are more likely to occur under the influence of drugs, especially alcohol. However, there are also in the absence of alcohol or drugs, so it would be wrong to consider drunkenness as the main cause of these phenomena.

9. Abuse of narcotic and medicinal substances. In an attempt to reduce the intensity of post-traumatic symptoms, many veterans abuse tobacco, alcohol and (to a lesser extent) other drugs.

10. Unsolicited memories. Perhaps this is the most important symptom that gives the right to talk about the presence of PTSN. Eerie, ugly scenes associated with the traumatic event suddenly come to mind. These memories can occur both during sleep and during wakefulness.

In reality, they appear in those cases when the environment is somewhat reminiscent of what happened "at that time", i.e. during a traumatic event: a smell, a sight, a sound, as if coming from that time. Vivid images of the past fall on the psyche and cause severe stress. The main difference from ordinary memories is that post-traumatic "uninvited memories" are accompanied by intense feelings of anxiety and fear.

Unsolicited memories that come in a dream are called nightmares. For war veterans, these dreams are often (but not always) associated with combat. Dreams of this kind are, as a rule, of two types: the first, with the accuracy of video recording, convey the traumatic event as it was imprinted in the memory of the person who survived it; in dreams of the second type, the setting and characters may be completely different, but at least some of the elements (face, situation, sensation) are similar to those that took place in the traumatic event. A person awakens from such a dream completely overwhelmed; his muscles are tense, he is drenched in sweat. [ Pushkarev A.L., Domoratsky V.A., Gordeeva E.G. Post-traumatic stress disorder: diagnostics, psychopharmacotherapy, psychotherapy. Ed. Institute of Psychotherapy, M., 2000.].

11. Hallucinatory experiences. This is a special kind of uninvited memories of traumatic events, with the difference that in hallucinatory experiences, the memory of what happened is so vivid that the events of the current moment seem to fade into the background and seem less real than memories. In this "hallucinatory", detached state, the person behaves as if he is reliving a past traumatic event again; he acts, thinks and feels the same as when he had to save his life.

12. Sleep problems (difficulty falling asleep and interrupted sleep). When a person has nightmares, there is reason to believe that he himself unwittingly resists falling asleep, and this is the reason for his insomnia: the person is afraid to fall asleep and see this dream again. Regular sleep deprivation, leading to extreme nervous exhaustion, complements the picture of PTSD symptoms.

13. Thoughts about suicide. The person often thinks about suicide or plans any action that should ultimately lead to his death. When life seems more frightening and painful than death, the thought of ending all suffering can seem tempting. When a person reaches the brink of despair, where no way to improve his situation is visible, he begins to think about suicide.

14. "The guilt of the survivor". Feelings of guilt for having survived ordeals that cost others their lives is often inherent in those who have suffered from "emotional deafness" (inability to experience joy, love, compassion, etc.) since traumatic events. Many victims of PTSN are ready for anything to avoid being reminded of the tragedy, of the death of their comrades. Strong feelings of guilt sometimes trigger bouts of self-deprecating behavior.

These are the main symptoms and course of development of post-traumatic stress.

So, when we talk about post-traumatic stress, we mean that a person has experienced one or more traumatic events that deeply affected his psyche.

These events are so drastically different from all previous experiences or caused so much suffering that the person responded to them with a violent negative reaction. The normal psyche in such a situation naturally tends to alleviate the discomfort: a person who has experienced such a reaction radically changes his attitude towards the world around him in order to live at least a little easier.

Just as we acquire immunity to a certain disease, our psyche develops a special mechanism to protect ourselves from painful experiences.

Thus, we can conclude that the post-traumatic syndrome of participants in local military conflicts is a personality crisis with all its inherent signs, and, therefore, like any psychological personality crisis, it needs therapy.

Analysis of the results of experimental studies of the psychological characteristics of veterans of the war in Afghanistan and the Chechen events of 1994-1996. allows us to assert that the latter will be more negative and more significant for its participants and society as a whole. If today there is evidence that among the veterans of the war on the territory of Afghanistan, 10-15% of the participants in these events were diagnosed with PTSD, and partial symptoms were detected in another 20-30%, then it can be reasonably assumed that among the veterans of the Chechen war these indicators will be higher by 1.5 -2 times. A similar picture is likely to be observed in the social sphere.

To prevent the consequences of the military conflict in the North Caucasus or at least partially block their manifestations, in our opinion, it is necessary to formally formulate the attitude of the state and society towards the veterans of these events and as soon as possible develop an effective system of measures (at the level of the state program) to provide them with specialized medical -psychological, social and economic assistance. [Taras A.E., Selchenok K.V. Psychology of extreme situations / / M .: AST, 2000, 480s.]

The history of the environmental consequences of human war goes back centuries, being inextricably linked with the history of wars as such. In this chapter, we will try to briefly outline the environmental consequences of military conflicts from antiquity to modern times.

Cases of serious environmental consequences of military conflicts have been known since the days of Ancient Greece. According to IV Bondyrev's data, only as a result of the Trojan War (the area of ​​the area of ​​hostilities "12 km2) and the construction of warships, about 43.7 thousand hectares of forest were cut down. And the process of colonization of the Black Sea by the ancient Greeks led to the destruction of more than 153.6 million hectares of forests in this region.

Written evidence of the environmental impact of war can also be found in ancient Roman texts. For example, Julius Frontius, a Roman historian of the 1st century, describes how soldiers cut down trees in an entire forest and knocked them down when the Roman army entered the forest. (This method continued to be used much later, right up to Modern Time. Only in our century, trees are used not to defeat the enemy's manpower, but to detain him in the affected area.) There were other cases when the Romans destroyed nature in the conquered territories: after the defeat of Carthage, they covered all the fertile lands in its vicinity with salt, making them unsuitable not only for agriculture, but also for the growth of most plant species, which, given the proximity of the Sahara, and simply a hot climate with little rainfall, led to land desertification ( which we see now in the vicinity of Tunisia). In war, nature and, first of all, forests are purposefully destroyed. This is done with a trivial goal: to deprive the enemy of shelter and livelihood. The first goal is the simplest and most understandable - after all, forests at all times served as a reliable refuge for troops, primarily for small detachments waging a partisan war. An example of such an attitude towards nature is the so-called. green crescent - territories stretching from the Nile Delta through Palestine and Mesopotamia to India, as well as the Balkan Peninsula. Of course, the forests there were destroyed not only during wars, but also in peacetime for economic purposes. However, during all wars, forests were cut down as the basis of the country's economy. As a result, these lands have now turned, for the most part, into deserts. Only in our years the forests on these territories began to be restored, and even then with great difficulty (an example of such works is Israel, on whose territory there were once huge forests that completely covered the mountains, and were heavily chopped down by the Assyrians and almost completely cut down by the Romans).

Another type of environmental disturbance that has been widespread since ancient times in the course of a military conflict is the poisoning of drinking water sources in the occupied territories. For example, the same Julius Frontius writes how Cleisthenes of Sikion poisoned the water in the source that fed the Chrises besieged by him. Other peoples have done the same more than once. In particular, when Prince Vasily Golitsyn, the favorite of Tsarevna Sophia Alekseevna, fought with the Crimean Tatars, they scored all sources of drinking water with carrion.

In addition to deliberate poisoning, there is another reason for the contamination of drinking water sources during the war - huge graves remaining at the sites of major battles (for example, during the battle on the Kulikovo field, 120,000 people died). With the decomposition of a huge number of corpses, poisons are formed, which with rain or groundwater fall into water bodies, poisoning them. The same poisons also kill animals at the burial site. They are all the more dangerous because their action can begin both immediately and only many years after burial, and, moreover, this action can last for quite a long time, for several years.

As technological progress increased, the scale of the environmental consequences of wars and military conflicts inevitably increased.

War in Indochina 1961-1975 marked a qualitatively new level of anti-ecological warfare. The US strategy included the massive use of both conventional and special weapons, intended primarily for the destruction of forests and agricultural land in South Vietnam. In addition, huge bulldozers literally cut down the forests along with the fertile layer. At the same time, the main emphasis was placed on ensuring that these actions cause damage to the natural environment and economy of Vietnam, and not paying attention to the more serious environmental and social consequences of the war.

In addition to destroying forests, the CIA also initiated cloud seeding operations in Vietnam, authorizing a project to artificially induce precipitation over Saigon in 1963. There are archival data and military statements that in Southeast Asia they were able to summon from 2.5 to 17.5 mm of precipitation. The use of dioxin, which was part of Agent Orange, the herbicide most widely used by the United States in Vietnam as a chemical weapon, according to rough estimates, destroyed 400 thousand hectares of cultivated areas in South Vietnam.

According to the UN Environmental Program, in Afghanistan, as a result of incessant hostilities, since 1979, about 30% of forests have been destroyed, numerous agricultural lands and water sources have been destroyed. Many cities, including the country's capital Kabul, lie in ruins. The drought of the past three years has only made the situation worse.

During the period of hostilities on the territory of the Chechen Republic in 1994-1996. more than 160 thousand mines and high-explosive charges were installed, including the MON-50 anti-personnel mine, exploding into two thousand fragments, which is more dangerous than a stretch with an F-1 grenade, which has a radius of destruction of up to 50 m.

Back in December 1994, a working note of the Interdepartmental Commission on Environmental Safety on possible consequences for the nature of the region was submitted to the Security Council of the Russian Federation. Particular attention was paid to soil contamination with oil products over the long years of operation of oil pipelines, oil tanks, wells, occupying an area of ​​tens of square kilometers (there are known cases of "extraction" of low-grade fuel for cars, and later for tanks from digs and wells).

In addition, the working note indicated the danger of destruction of the former Soviet special plant "Radon", which was engaged in the processing and disposal of radioactive waste of low and medium activity. The special plant "Radon" is located on the Tersk ridge, 10 km from Grozny and 2-4 km from the river. Terek. The volume of radioactive waste stored at Radon is 906 m3, of which 750 m3 were imported from various regions of Russia. This plant stores radioactive materials with a total activity of over 1,500 Ci. Elementary calculations show that in the event of depressurization or explosions, there is a high probability of transfer of radioactive dust from the western direction to the Great Chechen Plain and further through the Main Caucasian ridge to the shores of the Black Sea. In the eastern direction, the entire Caspian lowland will be contaminated, including the Caspian Sea itself. At the same time, radioactive dust will be transferred to the Caspian Sea and with the waters of the river. Terek. According to the director of "Radon", when depressurizing, the radiation activity of the "Radon" burial ground can reach half the power of Chernobyl.

Also in the document, serious attention was paid to cattle burial grounds - potential sources of anthrax. Only on the territory of Grozny, according to the State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision of Russia, there were four such cattle burial grounds. The territory of Chechnya, and indeed of the entire North Caucasus as a whole, is a natural natural focus of plague and other dangerous infections, especially in the warm season.

If during the first Chechen campaign (1994-1996), mainly ground troops and heavy military equipment were used, the use of which is associated with the destruction of the soil and vegetation cover, then during the second military action, begun in 1999, the main means of striking aviation became terrorists. Air strikes were also carried out on the fuel and energy complex (FEC), which is a powerful source of environmental pollution. Note that the federal-level fuel and energy complex was completely destroyed back in 1994-1996, now it was necessary to destroy the criminal fuel and energy complex with a network of mini-oil refineries, which was the economic base of terrorism in the region.

The greatest oil pollution was noted near the objects of refueling, storage, transportation of fuels and lubricants and oil products in case of accidents at the objects of the fuel and energy complex. The main reasons for the resulting pollution are the deterioration of the oil infrastructure, especially oil storage facilities and fuel pipelines, as well as the low level of their technical operation.

The aggression against Yugoslavia, launched by NATO on March 24, 1999, provoked an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in modern Europe, which turned into an ecological catastrophe. The war destroyed the natural biogeo-ecosystems of Yugoslavia. During the attack on Yugoslavia, many weapons were used that are prohibited by international conventions (cluster bombs, depleted uranium munitions, etc.). These weapons were a threat not only to military infrastructure, but also to civilian lives and the environment. During the bombing period, about 10 tons of depleted uranium were dropped on Yugoslavia. Tanks with vinyl chloride monomer (1200 tons), chlorine, sodium hydroxide (6000 tons), hydrochloric acid (33% - 800 tons), ethylene dichloride (1500 tons) were bombed. Of this amount, only about 3000 thousand tons of sodium hydroxide, 600 tons of hydrochloric acid, 1400 tons of ethylene dichloride, a huge amount of oil and oil products poured into the Danube, as a result of which the adjacent territories (Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine) were also polluted. As a result of the bombardment of the fertilizer plant with winged shells, together with gases from the petrochemical complex, a common cloud was formed, in which the concentration of vinyl chloride monomer was 3-4 thousand times higher than the permissible values, the concentration of nitrogen oxides was 10 mg / m3, phosgene was 2 ppm. the mineral fertilizer plant leaked out about 250 tons of liquid ammonia.

In addition, the massive bombing of Yugoslavia (up to a thousand sorties / day) led to a change in the climate of this region: for 2.5 months the air was continuously heated. As a result, the established atmospheric circulation over Europe was disrupted: the air transfer from west to east was divided into two streams: north and south of Yugoslavia. As a result, drought developed in the European part of Russia, while in Western Europe, on the contrary, there were continuous rains.

During the war in Iraq, A-16 aircraft were used only 1 time (according to the statement of the command - on February 26, 1991), firing approximately 1,000 30-mm shells. In the delta of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers on the territory of Iraq, a catastrophic, from an ecological point of view, situation has arisen over the past ten years, the consequences of which are still unpredictable. Already, the lowlands in the Tigris-Euphrates delta are almost completely dry. The destruction of the original landscape threatens to upset the ecological balance on the shores of the Persian Gulf. As a result of a large-scale military conflict, the use of toxic weapons of great destructive power, a sharp increase in the number of cancers and newborns with disabilities is possible, oil in the Arab region may go to deeper horizons.

The events that took place on the territory of Kuwait and the adjacent territories of the Persian Gulf after Operation Desert Storm in early 1991 are the most typical example of an environmental disaster.

Retreating from Kuwait, Iraqi forces blew up most of the 1,250 oil wells. Over 700 of them burned for six months, poisoning the environment with gases and soot. As a result, about 70 million cubic meters were emitted into the atmosphere per day. m. of gas, which contained up to 50 thousand tons of sulfur dioxide (the main component of acid rain), up to 100 thousand tons of carbon dioxide.

According to experts, massive bombing can provoke a wave of earthquakes in the Iraqi region and its geographic surroundings. They do not form earthquake foci, but only provoke them in those places where there are already ready foci and a noticeable increase in seismic activity is observed. By analogy with the seismological situation after Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and after the bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999, we can say that earthquakes begin on average 2-4 weeks after the activation of air raids with the use of powerful bombs. In this case, tremors can be felt at a distance of up to 1,500 kilometers from the bombing area.

In the summer of 2008, when the "Grad" system (field 122-mm divisional multiple launch rocket system BM-21) was used for shelling Tskhinvali, hazardous chemicals were released - raw materials, intermediate products of the weapons used, which led to an excess of their concentration in the atmosphere to levels comparable to the use of chemical weapons. A salvo of 40 high-explosive fragmentation shells ensure the defeat of openly located manpower on an area of ​​1046 square meters. m, unarmored vehicles - on an area of ​​840 sq. m.

Regeneration of soils and water bodies that have undergone such chemical damage, by individual components, even with intensive reclamation, may require many years, even decades. Many pollutants have a very harsh effect on living organisms, including humans. Heavy metals have a mutagenic effect. This at the same time ensures a long-term, for 50-100 years, non-competitiveness of the affected territories in the food market.

It should be noted that in areas of armed conflict not only direct consequences of hostilities are observed, but also the results of the influence of the political situation, practically blocking the possibility of solving major environmental problems and preventing environmental disasters. So, today the Dead Sea dries up quickly and retreats at a speed of 35m / year. For millennia, it was fed by the waters of the Jordan River, however, in recent years, the balance has been disturbed by the diversion for irrigation needs of Israel and Jordan. The explosive situation in this region practically nullifies all attempts to prevent an ecological catastrophe.

It is also important to note that wars and military conflicts, and hence the adverse environmental consequences they entail, not only permeate the entire history of mankind from ancient times to the present, but also cover a significant part of the map of the globe. Today, there are not many places on the globe where military conflicts are raging, as can be clearly seen from the map below.

war ecology disaster nature economy

Those who are substantively involved in social security issues should clearly understand the essence and content of modern regional armed conflicts, the reasons for their occurrence and possible consequences, the prerequisites for escalating into local wars, ways of their localization and termination, as well as know the strategy of human behavior and the main ways to protect it. in the zone of armed conflict. This will contribute to a conscious attitude towards military conflicts of various levels and manifestations and will help to develop skills to defend against their destructive consequences.

5.1. Essence and characteristics

From a sociological point of view, conflict- This is a clash of parties arising from the difference in their position in society and due to the contradictory interests, goals and values. It is the result of the development (exacerbation) of contradictions between individuals (intragroup), social groups (intergroup) and individuals and social groups. The conflict is resolved by means of a struggle proceeding in various forms (peaceful, non-peaceful, mixed) between groups, during which the conflicting parties seek to neutralize or even destroy their opponents in order to achieve the desired goals.

Conflicts can have both positive and negative impact on the development of society. On the one hand, conflict is a source and form of manifestation of socio-political changes, preventing stagnation and ossification of social systems, stimulating the modification of social relations, structures and institutions. In this sense, it acts as a form of regulation of the conflicting interests of various groups of society, contributes to the elimination of tension in relations between them. On the other hand, the conflict poses a serious threat to the destabilization of society and can lead to catastrophic consequences - anarchy, revolutions, wars.

The impact of conflict on social structure depends largely on the organization of society. In a totalitarian (closed) society with a rigid social division, the conflict proceeds in acute forms and has more destructive consequences, often leading to the destabilization of the system of relations. In a pluralistic (open) society, where social barriers are less rigid, there are a large number of intermediate groups and institutions, and communication channels are ramified, conflicts are not so destructive and proceed in a less acute form.

If at the same time there are conflicts of varying degrees of intensity, intersecting with each other, this leads to their mutual weakening and dispersal, which helps to prevent the split of the whole society on any one sign. In a democratic society, the presence of forms of social control (elections, parliamentary institutions, pluralism of political parties, etc.) creates a real opportunity for legal regulation of conflicts in order to resolve them in a timely manner. They become manageable.

In addition to conflicts that arise within society, there are interstate, regional and international conflicts that require special sociological and political analysis. The same applies to the recently widespread ethnic conflicts.

One of the most dangerous types of conflict is armed conflict, which is an extremely acute form of resolving conflicts between states or military-political groupings within a state, characterized by the bilateral use of military force.

In the broadest sense of the word, an armed conflict is understood as any military action with the use of armed force. In a narrow sense, it is an open armed conflict (most often on the state border), associated with its violation, infringement of the sovereignty of a particular state, or arising out of political contradictions within the state. In other words, war and armed conflict are, in essence, one-order social phenomena, differing only in the degree of use of violence to achieve certain political goals.

War, in essence, it is nothing more than the continuation of the policy of certain states (social groups) by violent means. Any war has a political content, since it is part of the policy of the state (both internal and external). The historical experience of two world wars and hundreds of local wars shows that wars are prepared, as a rule, in advance, for a long period. This training covers the actual political, as well as the economic, diplomatic, ideological, military, moral and psychological spheres. It includes intelligence activities, mobilization activities, etc.

War has its own special, specific content, which is armed struggle - the organized use of the armed forces of states, armed detachments or other formations of any political groupings to achieve political and military goals. Armed struggle can be conducted in unauthorized forms (individual military skirmishes, military incidents, terrorist acts, etc.), as well as in the form of politicized armed conflicts that arise in relations between individual states or within them in the absence of a general state of war.

However, an armed conflict differs from a military skirmish, a military incident, and even more so from a terrorist act. Military skirmish or military incident, in which small groups of people are usually involved, often occurs as a result of a misunderstanding, an accidental clash, while an armed conflict is a consequence of the aggressive policy of any military-political forces that deliberately provoke a military clash in order to achieve their goals. Terrorist actions generally have a different nature (they will be discussed in another chapter).

Since most often armed conflicts cover a certain geographic area, including warring states (region of the world) or some local territory (region) within a state, they are often called regional. Regional armed conflict ripens on the basis of intractable contradictions (historical, territorial, economic, political, interethnic, etc.) between neighboring states or various socio-political groups within the country. It begins, as a rule, suddenly, without an official announcement of the military action being undertaken, and is conducted by small military forces and means. Its political goals are limited and its duration is short. Avoiding solving regional problems leads to an aggravation of the situation in the region and the escalation of a regional conflict into a local war.

Local war- This is an armed clash in a separate region of the planet between two or more states, affecting mainly only their interests and carried out with limited political and military-strategic goals, i.e., covering a relatively small number of participants and a limited geographic area.

Local wars and regional armed conflicts certainly have their own characteristics. They differ in terms of their origins, political and strategic goals, scale, intensity, duration, means of warfare, forms and methods of warfare, etc. However, they also have common features, among which the following stand out:

Limited military-political goals due to political isolation and the resolution of contradictions through armed violence;

Dependence of the course and outcome on the intervention of world powers or their coalitions (economic and diplomatic support, participation in hostilities on one side or another, supply of weapons and military equipment, etc.);

Dependence on world public opinion (protests, denial of international support, economic and political blockade, etc.);

Involvement, as a rule, of limited armed forces, conduct of hostilities by conventional means with a constant threat of the use by the parties of other, more powerful means of destruction;

The focal nature of the military operations of the troops;

Uncertainty about the duration of hostilities;

Massive use of information processing of enemy troops and population, etc.

As already noted, local wars and armed conflicts arise on socio-political, economic, interethnic grounds, as a result of violation of territorial integrity or infringement of sovereignty. Their termination and the settlement of problems associated with them occurs at the state level, diplomatically, with the help of third countries, international organizations, the use of the policy of national reconciliation, etc.

The danger of these socio-political phenomena is that they often become protracted (the Middle East, Yugoslavia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Chechnya, etc.), tend to expand the number of participants, internationalize the scale and develop into wars with broader political goals. The military events in the Middle East, Yugoslavia and some other regions of the planet clearly show that local wars and military conflicts pose a threat of the use of weapons of mass destruction with unpredictable political, socio-economic and environmental consequences. Consequently, the differences between them are becoming more and more conventional, although the existing classification of wars and military conflicts according to socio-political and military-technical characteristics retains, on the whole, its fundamental significance.

There are two main factors involved in wars and military conflicts - people and weapons. Therefore, a radical way of eliminating these phenomena from the life of modern society consists in a decisive reduction of armed forces and armaments, in the demilitarization of international relations and the pursuit of a policy of peace by all states. However, after the euphoria of the late 1980s - early 1990s of the last century, associated with the end of the confrontation between socialism and capitalism, the USSR and the United States, new military threats emerged. Their sources were international terrorism in the face of Muslim fundamentalism, US claims to leadership in the modern world and NATO's advancement to the east - directly to the borders of Russia, which is quite definitely stated in the Concept of National Security of the Russian Federation.

Modern socio-political practice shows that after the collapse of the USSR, in many of its former "hot" points - in the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Abkhazia, Chechnya), in Tajikistan, Transnistria, on the basis of regional contradictions, armed conflicts began to arise that threaten to escalate into local wars. These conflicts are inherent, as a rule, interethnic character.

Such phenomena have taken place and are taking place not only in the territory of the former USSR. A striking example of this kind of conflict is the events of the recent past in Yugoslavia. The armed conflict in Afghanistan was interethnic with an admixture of religious overtones.

As the experience of many countries and regions of the former USSR (Transcaucasia, Transnistria) shows, the greatest danger is ethno-territorial conflicts. The main prerequisite for their emergence is the presence of compactly settled national minorities. Quite legitimate demands for the provision of national-territorial autonomy become potentially dangerous if the area of ​​residence of national minorities directly borders on the main ethnic mass in a neighboring state and autonomy can serve as a step towards "reunification". For this reason, in international treaties on the rights of minorities, territorial autonomy is not included among their inalienable rights, in contrast to cultural autonomy and the principle of equality. The desire to secede in order to create their own state or join another is fraught with even more serious consequences, up to a civil war with a national bias.

Let us dwell in more detail on the armed conflicts that took place on the territory of Russia and in the near abroad, since they affect the interests of millions of our fellow citizens, present and former. Armed conflicts in the USSR began in the late 1980s. Then there were 76 territorial-ethnic disputes that flared up and flared up, in addition, 80 were on the verge of going into an active stage. Then the USSR did not become, but the disagreements intensified even more, as a result of armed clashes thousands of people died. One third of the former USSR, with a population of 30 million people, found itself involved in a territorial redistribution, accompanied by flaring up and then fading conflicts.

Interethnic armed conflict, as a rule, does not break out immediately. It appears imperceptibly. In order to imagine the stages of its growth, let us analyze how events developed in the “hot spots” on the territory of the USSR, and after its collapse, the CIS.

Usually they began on the territory of some territorial-ethnic entity. Russians and the Russian-speaking population were discriminated against: their rights in employment and education were violated. Further, social contradictions sharply escalated, national armed formations were created, force and moral pressure was exerted on state bodies, primarily courts, prosecutors, police, various governing bodies and life support of cities and other settlements. Criminal elements tried to infiltrate the bodies of state power and administration. Skirmishes broke out between police officers and the armed groups, with each side blaming each other for the attack. The crime situation was sharply aggravated, the number of grave crimes and murders increased, their detection rate sharply decreased.

Despite the still peaceful relations between two warring parties or newly formed states, the roads became more and more dangerous. Murders and robberies reached unprecedented proportions. On the borders of the former republics, everyone, without exception, was searched in search of weapons. The civilian population was actively involved in the armed conflict.

In the conflict zone, open acts of terrorism, murder, looting, and waves of pogroms are frequent. The number of internally displaced persons and refugees is increasing. This increases the criminogenic situation, especially since there is a rapid uncontrolled arming of the civilian population. Militia units are often spontaneously created. Stores are emptying counters, food is becoming more expensive and more difficult to get it. It becomes dangerous to go out in the evenings. Confrontation is acquiring the character of a real war more and more distinctly.

Every citizen, first of all, should know that war, like any kind of activity in a civilized society, regulated by law... The legal norms prescribing the rules for waging war are aimed at maximizing the observance of the rights of a military man and protecting civilians who find themselves in a combat zone. Ultimately, this legislation is intended as much as possible to complicate the course of the conflict between the parties who have agreed to apply civilized norms.

The norms of international law are enshrined in the Hague Conventions on the Laws and Customs of War (1899, 1907), the Geneva Convention for the Protection of Victims of War (1949), the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954), the Convention on the Non-Application of the Limitation Period to War Criminals and Crimes against Humanity, adopted by the UN General Assembly (1968). All these documents are recognized by the Russian Federation, but they are about international armed conflicts. In our country and in the near abroad, these conflicts were and are mainly of an interethnic (interethnic) nature. It should be emphasized that in this case, too, the parties are obliged to comply with international legal norms regarding the conduct of hostilities. However, in all armed conflicts that took place on the territory of the former USSR, these norms were violated by almost all the warring parties.

This also applies to the most large-scale armed conflict on the territory of Russia - the Chechen one. Many not only military men, but also civilians died at the hands of the militants, hostage-taking became the norm, and federal troops often struck civilian areas and carried out massive "cleansing" operations. The gross violation of international law was also in the fact that the civilian population was not withdrawn from the areas of hostilities. The regime of internment of civilians was not applied in this conflict, which implies the fulfillment by both parties of the rights and obligations associated with the provision of temporary housing, the right of correspondence, etc. But, despite the indicated costs, the norms of international law related to the conduct of hostilities exist , and no one canceled responsibility for their violation.

Thus, it can be stated that conflicts in various areas of public life and of varying degrees of intensity are a fairly widespread phenomenon in the modern world, but armed conflicts pose the greatest danger. They cover certain regions of the world or states, but are fraught with the expansion of the sphere of distribution, the transition to more stringent methods of conducting military operations. These conflicts develop into local wars, which, as history shows, may precede a world war. Specialists in the field of life safety must clearly and clearly understand the nature of this kind of social phenomena, know the strategy and methods of survival of the population in the area of ​​hostilities.

5.2. Behavior strategy and methods of protection

If the population in the combat zone lacks basic knowledge and survival skills, this leads to unnecessary casualties. Their number may well be reduced. To do this, it is necessary to recognize the danger in time, take appropriate measures in advance (leave the dangerous area or, at least, stock up on basic necessities). It is impossible to consider all aspects of this problem, therefore we will focus on those that relate to residents of cities and large settlements of the Russian Federation.

With the onset of a military threat in the region, martial law (VP) may be introduced in the event of an outbreak of aggression against the Russian Federation or its immediate threat. A state of emergency (state of emergency) is introduced when an attempt is made to change the constitutional order of the Russian Federation, seizure or appropriation of power, an armed rebellion, etc.

State of emergency on the entire territory of the Russian Federation or in its individual localities is introduced by a decree of the President of the Russian Federation with immediate notification of this to the highest legislative bodies of the Russian Federation. Target such an action - the elimination of the circumstances that served as the basis for the introduction of a state of emergency, the protection of the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, the protection of the constitutional order of the Russian Federation. According to the Law of the Russian Federation "On the State of Emergency", for this period the following measures and temporary restrictions:

Suspension of the powers of the executive authorities of the subject (subjects) of the Russian Federation, as well as local government bodies;

Establishment of restrictions on freedom of movement within the territory, introduction of a special regime of entry and exit on it;

Strengthening the protection of public order, objects subject to state protection, and objects that ensure the life of the population and the functioning of transport;

Establishment of restrictions on the implementation of certain types of financial and economic activities, including the movement of goods, services and financial resources;

Establishment of a special order, purchase and distribution of food and basic necessities;

Prohibition or restriction of holding meetings, rallies and demonstrations, as well as other mass events;

Prohibition of strikes and other methods of terminating the activities of organizations;

Restriction of the movement of vehicles and the implementation of their inspection;

Suspension of the activities of hazardous industries and organizations that use explosive, radioactive, as well as chemically and biologically hazardous substances;

Evacuation of material and cultural values ​​to safe areas in case there is a real threat of their destruction, abduction or damage due to emergency circumstances.

With the immediate threat of a violent change in the constitutional order, seizure of power, armed rebellion, etc., additional measures and temporary restrictions:

The introduction of a curfew, that is, a prohibition to be on the streets and in other public places at a specified time of the day without specially issued passes and identity documents;

Restriction of freedom of the press and other media by introducing preliminary censorship indicating the conditions and procedure for its implementation, as well as the temporary seizure or arrest of printed materials, radio transmission, sound-amplifying equipment, duplicating equipment, establishing a special procedure for accrediting journalists;

Suspension of the activities of political parties and other public associations that impede the elimination of the circumstances that served as the basis for the introduction of the state of emergency;

Verification of identity documents of citizens, personal search, inspection of their belongings, homes and vehicles;

Restriction or prohibition of the sale of weapons, ammunition, explosives, special means, poisonous substances, the establishment of a special regime for the circulation of medicines and preparations containing narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, strong substances, as well as ethyl alcohol, alcoholic beverages, alcohol-containing products; in exceptional cases, temporary confiscation of weapons and ammunition, poisonous substances from citizens is allowed, and from organizations, along with this, also combat and training military equipment, explosive and radioactive substances;

Expulsion of persons violating the state of emergency and not living in the given territory, out of its limits;

Extension of the term of detention of persons detained on suspicion of terrorism, and other especially dangerous criminals for the entire period of the emergency, but no more than three months.

It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the forces and means of the internal troops, the penal system, federal security agencies, internal troops, as well as the forces and means of the Ministry of Emergency Situations are used to ensure the state of emergency. In exceptional cases, on the basis of a decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, military formations and bodies, except for border ones, may be additionally involved to perform the following tasks:

Maintaining a special regime of entry and exit;

Protection of objects that ensure the life of the population and the functioning of transport, and objects that pose an increased danger to human life and health, as well as to the natural environment;

Separation of the opposing sides involved in conflicts accompanied by violent actions with the use of weapons, military and special equipment;

Participation in suppressing the activities of illegal armed groups;

Participation in emergency response and saving lives.

These tasks, in addition to the last one, are carried out by the military personnel of the RF Armed Forces, other troops, military formations and bodies together with the employees of the internal affairs bodies, the penal system, federal security bodies and the military personnel of the internal troops. At the same time, they are subject to the provisions of the federal legislation on internal troops in the part concerning the conditions, procedure and limits for the use of physical force, special means, weapons, military and special equipment.

The purpose introduction martial law is the creation of conditions for repelling or preventing aggression against the Russian Federation. During the period of validity of the interim government, the rights and freedoms of citizens may be limited to one extent or another, to what extent it is necessary to ensure the country's defense and state security. In the territory on which the airspace is introduced, measures are taken to organize the production of products (performance of work, provision of services) for state needs, support of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, military formations and bodies, special formations created in wartime, and for the needs of the population ...

According to the Law of the Russian Federation "On Martial Law", with the introduction of military law, the following can be applied measures:

Strengthening the protection of public order and ensuring public safety, the protection of the military, important state and special facilities, facilities that ensure the vital activity of the population, the functioning of transport, communications and communications, energy facilities, as well as facilities posing an increased danger to human life and health and to the natural environment Wednesday;

Introduction of a special mode of operation of facilities that ensure the functioning of transport, communications and communications, energy facilities, as well as facilities posing an increased danger to human life and health and to the natural environment;

Evacuation of economic, social and cultural facilities, as well as temporary resettlement of residents to safe areas with the obligatory provision of permanent or temporary living quarters to them;

Introduction and provision of a special regime of entry and exit to the territory, as well as restriction of freedom of movement on it;

Suspension of the activities of political parties, other public and religious associations conducting propaganda, agitation and other activities that undermine the security of the Russian Federation;

Involvement of citizens in performing work for defense needs, eliminating the consequences of the use of weapons by the enemy, restoring damaged (destroyed) economic objects, life support systems and military facilities, as well as fighting fires, epidemics, epizootics;

Seizure of property necessary for defense needs from organizations and citizens, with the subsequent payment by the state of its value;

Prohibition or restriction of the choice of residence;

Prohibition or restriction of meetings, rallies and demonstrations, processions and picketing, as well as other public events;

Prohibition of strikes and other methods of suspension and termination of the activities of organizations;

Restricting the movement of vehicles and their inspection;

Prohibition of the presence of citizens on the streets and in other public places at a certain time of the day, the implementation of document checks, personal searches, searches of things, homes, vehicles, detention of citizens (no more than 30 days) and vehicles;

Prohibition of the sale of weapons, ammunition, explosive and poisonous substances, the establishment of a special regime for the circulation of medicines and preparations containing narcotic and other potent substances, alcoholic beverages; if necessary, weapons, ammunition, explosive and toxic substances are confiscated from citizens, and from organizations, along with this, military and training military equipment and radioactive substances;

Introduction of control over the operation of facilities that ensure the functioning of transport, communications and communications, over the operation of printing houses, computer centers and automated systems, the media, their use for defense needs; prohibition of operation of receiving and transmitting radio stations for individual use;

The introduction of military censorship over postal items and messages transmitted using telecommunication systems, as well as control over telephone conversations, the creation of censorship bodies directly involved in these issues;

Internment (isolation) in accordance with the generally recognized principles and norms of international law of citizens of a foreign state at war with the Russian Federation;

Prohibition or restriction of travel of citizens outside the territory of the Russian Federation;

Introduction of additional measures aimed at strengthening the secrecy regime in government bodies, military administration bodies, local self-government and organizations;

Termination of the activities of foreign and international organizations in respect of which reliable information has been received that they are carrying out activities aimed at undermining the defense and security of the Russian Federation.

There are no referendums and elections to state and local government bodies in the territory where the Interim Government was introduced. During the period of operation of the VP, in order to produce products (perform work, provide services) for state needs, to provide the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, other troops, military formations and bodies, special formations and for the needs of the population, temporary restrictions may be introduced on the implementation of economic and financial activities, turnover property, free movement of goods, services, financial resources, for the search, receipt, transfer, production and dissemination of information. Also, the forms of ownership of organizations, the procedure and conditions for bankruptcy procedures, the regime of labor activity, financial, tax, customs and banking regulations, and not only in the territory where the IP was introduced, can also be temporarily changed. These and other restrictions should be treated with understanding and not tried to challenge them.

Thus, under the protection of the armed forces in military conflicts with the introduction of a military plan or state of emergency, first of all, railway stations, airports, transport hubs, television stations, large enterprises, banks, media offices, etc. will be under control. Telegraph, telephone, postal services will be under control. ... In connection with the special regime, there will be changes in the programs of radio and television programs, the publication of most newspapers and magazines may be suspended. It is possible that classes in educational institutions will be canceled, so it is immediately necessary to solve the problem of monitoring children. Usually, in the first days after the introduction of emergency measures, crime falls, but this phenomenon is temporary. You must always have your identity documents with you in order not to be detained.

Rationing of the issue of food and other essential goods can be introduced. If necessary, free meals and humanitarian aid will be provided. Banks can switch to a special regime, which threatens to block funds. Therefore, even before the introduction of a VP or PE, you should withdraw money from your bank account. A bank in Chechnya, for example, was destroyed on the very first day of hostilities.

Great caution during this period must be exercised when communicating with representatives of the authorities and military authorities. Although the actions of the military and the police should fit into the framework of the law, in practice this is far from always the case, however, it is difficult to prove your case at this time.

For all the seeming unexpectedness of the introduction of a military or state of emergency, military conflicts have a rather long ripening period. The most prudent thing is to leave the dangerous region. But, unfortunately, this is not always possible for various reasons. To ensure your own safety, certain rules must be followed.

Do not go outside when entering troops;

Timely study the orders of the commandant's office and other power structures, strictly observe the curfew and other restrictive measures, unconditionally obey military orders and orders;

If possible, create a supply of water and food in advance;

Put the most valuable things, documents in an easy-to-carry package and be ready for evacuation;

To unite with the residents of the house for the purpose of mutual assistance;

Do not approach moving military equipment, as its drivers have a small near vision and you can get injured;

With the onset of darkness, turn on the light only by shading the windows;

Under no circumstances acquire or store weapons and ammunition, disseminate or support unverified rumors.

With the direct conduct of hostilities in the city, it is necessary:

With the beginning of the shooting, take refuge in the bathroom, lie on the floor or in the bathtub, crawl around the apartment;

Equip and, if possible, strengthen the shelter in the basement, protect the resting place in it with sandbags and furniture as much as possible, provide for several emergency exits from the shelter;

Dig a half-meter groove-shelter to the nearest water source or create several shelters on the way to it;

Dig shelter cracks in the courtyard of the house;

Use food and water sparingly;

Establish communication with the nearest medical institution or doctor.

In no case should you:

Hearing gunfire, approach the windows;

Open doors and wickets without examining the surrounding area in order to detect mines;

Observe the conduct of hostilities, shoot them with photographic and video equipment, run or stand under fire;

Conflict with armed people, use army uniforms as clothing, demonstrate weapons or objects similar to them, including to children;

Touch the found weapons, ammunition, items of military property, etc.

In addition, it is advisable to perform the following recommendations... Remember that the very introduction of equipment into a city or town is dangerous. We must not forget about the peculiarities of the control of military equipment, its dimensions, the sliding of the tracks on the asphalt and the possibility of skidding. At the crossroads, the military traffic controller becomes the main person. At the time of the introduction of technology into the city, it is better for civilian drivers to clear the road, remove cars on the sidewalk. Pedestrians should not show excessive curiosity and approach the columns of military equipment.

In order to correctly navigate what is happening, when the troops appear, you should turn on the local radio station (including in the car) or TV. You need to contact your company by phone in order to find out if there are any changes in its working hours, and, conversely, call home from work to contact your family and coordinate actions with them. It is better for children to be at home under the supervision of adults until the situation is clarified. Among the best options for protecting a family is going to the country. When evacuating, be sure to take documents with you (each family member should have them in their pockets, not in a bag or car), some food and necessary things. You should not take valuables with you; it is better to hide them in the city.

During any movement, you must obey the requirements of the military traffic police and patrols. It is very difficult to try to convince them that you are right in some controversial issue - it all depends on the specific circumstances. But in any case, it is wiser to be patient and loyal, given the psychology of the soldier, his stress, irritation and fatigue. In order not to be under suspicion of espionage or other unauthorized actions, you must not have binoculars, photographic equipment, radio telephones with you, as well as take or pick up weapons and ammunition on the road. Uniforms or any insignia attract attention. It is dangerous to be overly curious - it can cost your life. If the road passes through the area, you must be ready to leave the car immediately, so it is best to do without seat belts. You must have a first-aid kit with you - it can come in handy at any time, as well as cigarettes for military personnel and patrols.

It is important to take into account the perception of the city by a belligerent person: what is just a basement or an attic for a local resident, a shelter or a firing point for a military man. Therefore, for example, if there is a shootout in the courtyard, and the military breaks into the apartment, it is better not to argue with them, but to leave: most likely, they need a window convenient for shooting.

While shooting in any home shelter, you need to watch for smoke or fire. Since every third to fifth bullet of an assault rifle or machine gun is usually a tracer, the risk of fire increases. If a fire started, but the shooting did not stop, the apartment must be immediately crawled out, closing the doors behind you - both to the burning room and to the staircase. At the entrance you need to hide away from the windows, preferably in some niche.

The street shootout is even more dangerous. As soon as it starts, you need to immediately lie down and look around in order to find a shelter - a building ledge, stone porch steps, a fountain, a monument, a lamp post base, a brick fence, a ditch, a concrete urn or a curbstone. A car is a very unreliable shelter - its metal is thin, its wheels are rubber and air, and there is fuel in the tank. However, any shelter is better than none. When choosing it, one should also keep in mind that protection is needed not only from the side of the shot - it is dangerous and ricochet.

The firefight, of course, can wait out. However, a situation is possible when it is safer to hide around a corner, in a gateway or in an entrance. In some cases, it makes sense to break the ground floor window and jump into any apartment. An underground passage can be considered an ideal place of rescue on the street. During a firefight, you should crawl to it - this will reduce the danger of causing fire on yourself. It is especially dangerous to run, as the shooters may mistake the runner for the enemy.

If you follow these tips, the likelihood of surviving in a military situation will increase significantly. However, their implementation still does not guarantee absolute safety. The most important thing here, as in any other extreme situation, is to remain calm and act adequately to the situation.

It must also be remembered that, in addition to the dangers emanating from the actions of the armed formations of the opposing sides, there is also a real threat criminal actions. The criminal factor is a companion of armed conflicts, although, as already emphasized, with the introduction of state of emergency, it initially sharply decreases. In the future, the fear of retribution ceases to restrain the criminals. Therefore, experts in survival advise, you should forget about your values ​​and things - the main thing is to survive. In times of war, most criminals are armed, some even dressed in military or police uniforms. When meeting such people, it is more prudent to give them whatever they ask for. To fight criminals, it is necessary to act in an organized manner - to unite with neighbors at the house, entrance, to enlist the support of the nearest military unit or police station.

Special mention should be made of the situation when a person goes to the war zone of his own free will. The most important thing here is to weigh well whether it is really necessary to go there. Only as a last resort (for example, if you need to take out your family or a relative in distress) does it make sense to go on a dangerous journey. At the same time, one must proceed from the fact that a visitor who does not know local peculiarities is in a particularly risky position, has fewer rights and support. If the trip is still unavoidable, it is necessary, first, to collect as much information as possible about the area of ​​hostilities (especially from those who have recently traveled this path, and, if possible, from those to whom this person is going); second, prepare technically for the trip as for an extreme event, since the road itself is often dangerous; thirdly, one should not shy away from vaccinations. In the case of a trip to a “hot spot” outside Russia, it is necessary to obtain legal and social guarantees from the sending organization in advance and enlist the support of the Russian embassy.

If the fighting drags on, another extreme situation arises, which is called a war. How to behave correctly during a war usually becomes clear only on the spot, sometimes not even immediately, but after some time.

So, armed conflicts, which today have become a fairly common occurrence in various regions of the planet, are one of the most terrible dangers to humans. It is difficult to give any guarantees of security in such situations, but knowledge of the survival strategy and some rules of behavior in the zone of military conflicts and the ability to apply them in practice can certainly help save life. It is necessary to understand that there is no unequivocal advice on how to behave correctly in the event of hostilities. The decision should be made on the spot, based on the current situation. Therefore, the help of professionals, and above all the military, including specialists in the field of life safety, is especially important here.

conclusions

Local wars and regional military conflicts are very complex socio-political phenomena caused by accumulated contradictions that have not been resolved in a timely manner. Their danger is aggravated by the fact that the warring parties do not always comply with international rules and norms for the conduct of hostilities.

Knowledge of the rules of behavior in the zone of military conflicts and the ability to apply them in practice will help to survive in such situations. It is important not to panic, to be able to make decisions quickly, to act according to the situation. An important role is played by the timely assistance of servicemen and specialists in the field of life safety.

Control questions

1. What is meant by a conflict?

2. Give a definition of the concept of "armed conflict".

3. What is a local war?

4. What are the prerequisites for regional armed conflicts?

5. In what forms can regional armed conflicts take place?

6. Name the main stages of the emergence and development of armed conflicts (on the example of the former republics of the USSR and Russia).

7. What international and legislative acts of the Russian Federation govern armed conflicts?

8. What is a state of emergency?

9. What measures can be introduced when a state of emergency is declared?

10. What is martial law?

11. What measures can be introduced upon the announcement of an IDP?

12. What are the rules of conduct when declaring a state of emergency.

13. How should one behave when declaring an IP?

Recommended reading

About the military Regulation: Federal Law // Collected Legislation of the Russian Federation. 2002. No. 5.

About counteraction extremist activity: Federal law / Ibid. 2002. No. 30.

About the state of emergency: Federal Constitutional Law / Ibid. 2001. No. 23.

Survival in extreme conditions. M., 1993.

A. V. Gostyushin A person in an extreme situation. M., 2001.

Gubanov V.M. Russian national character in the context of the political life of Russia: Monograph. SPb., 1999.

A. G. Zdravomyslov Interethnic conflicts in the post-Soviet space. M., 1996.

A. G. Zdravomyslov Sociology of Conflict: Russia on the Ways of Overcoming the Crisis: Textbook. manual for stud. higher. study. institutions. 3rd ed., Add. M., 1996.

A. A. Ilyichev Great Encyclopedia of Urban Survival. M., 2000.

Kudryashov B. Survival encyclopedia. Survival in a zone of armed conflict. Krasnodar, 1999.

Petrov V.E. Criminal aspect in regional conflicts: knowledge of mechanisms, use in settlement // Security: Inform. collection. 1993. No. 7.

A. N. Sukhov Social psychology of safety: Textbook. allowance. M., 2002.