The Kremlin Device by Chris Ryan Read Free Book Online

half-year, get no meat, because the cherpaks , the second-years, grab it. In the evening dishes, every day it is potatoes purée, with piece of so-called fish, bread black and white, tea, and three pieces of sugar.
    â€˜For celebration – on important days, state holidays – they have special menu. What does it mean? It means, two biscuits per man, and makaroni po flotski – macaroni naval style, with very small meats, like the ship’s rat chopped up. Maybe piece of water melon, and one grape per man.
    â€˜That’s what soldiers eat. That’s why they are ready to rob, do anything.’
    As I fetched another round of vodkas from the bar – with a double for myself this time – I wondered what the hell we’d do about our own food once we got over there. None of our cooks had high enough security clearance to come on an operation as sensitive as this one, so we’d either have to eat with our hosts or fend for ourselves.
    Again Sasha knocked his spirit straight down, with another cry of ‘ Vzdrognem! ’
    â€˜Also,’ he went on, ‘there is much torture of recruits.’
    â€˜Bullying, you mean.’
    â€˜Torture also. Many beatings. If sergeant does not like junior soldier, he drags him out of bed and makes him stand on one leg half the night. You have heard of velociped , the bicycle? No? It is what they do to young recruit. They come to him while he is sleeping, lift up bottom of bed, and put between the fingers on the feet—’
    â€˜His toes?’
    â€˜Yes – between his toes they put paper or cotton wool, then set it on fire. When flames reach him, he does the bicycle.’
    Sasha whirled his hands round in imitation, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
    â€˜No laughing!’ he said indignantly. ‘It is very bad. Officers terrorise soldiers – beat them, shoot them—’
    â€˜Not really shoot them?’
    â€˜Certainly! Many men are shot dead by own officers. Absolutely incredible.’
    â€˜Do people get fined?’ I asked.
    â€˜Fined?’ Sasha seemed astonished. ‘How can they be fined? They have no so big money. And in any case, it would be very dangerous for commander to punish kontraktnik , a prafyessional soldier, in this way. Such persons do not like to pay. Easier just to kill officer with shooting.’
    â€˜What about special forces? They must be better.’
    â€˜Many, many special forces. Every ministry has special force. Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Federal Security . . .’
    â€˜So who’s taking on the Mafia?’
    â€˜Good question. Under whose jurisdiction is situation going? These too many bodies – in the past they have no joint policy. But now we have new initiative – result of your Prime Minister’s visit to President Yeltsin last year. From this has come new agreement. Yeltsin has persuaded Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Interior to create Tiger Force, specially to combat Mafia operations.’
    â€˜So who are the guys we’ll be training?’
    â€˜All kontraktniks . That means prafyessional soldiers with contracts – not conscripts. At least two years in the army. All officers, from junior lieutenant to captain. Good types, I hope.’
    â€˜Where do they come from?’
    â€˜From all different special forces. From Spetznaz, from Omon, from Alpha, from Vympel . . .’
    I saw him stifle a yawn.
    â€˜Come on,’ I told him. ‘Time you got your head down. Tomorrow’s a full training day. You can meet the guys and tell us what to do.’
    â€˜ Khorosho! Zheordie – let me say thank you for very kind reception. Also for clothings.’
    â€˜It’s a pleasure.’
    One amusing twist that I didn’t yet explain to Sasha was that our own headquarters were known in the Regiment as the Kremlin. Valentina had impressed on us that the word simply means