WHY DO THE BAD GUYS BEAT THE COPS? Interior Ministry cannot afford training in hand-to-hand combat

Two years ago the issue of drilling and unarmed combat training for the militia became especially acute because an increasing number of officers were killed attempting to apprehend criminals.

“I can give you a good example,” says Yevhen Belinsky, Master of Sports (Multi-Event), senior instructor, Field and Unarmed Combat Training Chair of the Interior Academy. “It happened during Operation Siren in Kyiv. Three operatives of a district precinct were to arrest an armed criminal. Two were armed but they couldn’t take him. All three were badly wounded, one blinded and another losing an arm. Things like that should not happen.”

The Academy leadership resolved to place more emphasis on field and unarmed combat training. According to Mr. Belinsky, more than half first-year cadets are in a poor physical shape and 90% have no idea about hand-to-hand combat. Of course, after three years of intensive training every such milquetoast can be made into a good operative. Young men come to the Academy without special education and physical training, and if things do not change most such graduates who are supposed to protect fellow citizens, will be unable even to protect themselves.

V. Hrechko, Master of Sports (Martial Arts), Head of the Chair, complains that the leadership’s resolution remained on paper. The Academy’s gyms have been in need of repair for the past six years. They are stuffy and musty in summer and freezing in winter because the heating does not work. And there is practically no equipment. Two years ago US colleagues made a present, two sets of Red Man protective gear to practice karate blows. Students of each year are divided into 6-8 training groups, each made up of 20-25 men. Bouts without protective gear often cause serious body injuries (4-5 per semester, regarded as a matter of course). The training program includes field sessions. Here the situation is funny. The Academy has fuel and vehicles for transportation (a rare asset these days), but no training ground.

“First we had no ammunition for marksmanship practice. Then our Israeli colleagues presented us with a computer-operated fire range,” continues Yevhen Belinsky. “Now we have another problem: no money to buy batteries.”

Despite all this, Academy’s judo and unarmed combat teams return from every contest with trophies, but to prepare for the next competition they have to pass the hat. The Chair has arranged for the production of four educational films on unarmed combat and marksmanship with the cast made up of staff instructors. Such schooling aids are necessary not only for the Academy, but also for every militia precinct. The question is, will their colleagues be able to use them? The answer is, hardly likely, because every petition of the Chair returns with the inscription: “To be introduced in the curriculum using off-budget funds.” This really translates as: “See what you can do yourself, for no one is going to give you any money.”

Recently, the Chair found itself faced with staff reductions for want of funds.

Photo by Valery Miloserdov, The Day:
Only individual mulitia subdivisions can play for martial ars training for thier recruits, and qualified trainers are also in short supply