Having visited several events within the framework of the Army Games as a correspondent, I would like to ask the Ministry of Defense a few questions. To be absolutely precise, the questions are addressed to the press service of the Ministry of Defense, but since it is still part of the ministry, the questions are asked to the highest instance.
The first and most important question. For whom was this all started?
No, it is absolutely clear that first of all, for foreign media. Then for the top TV channels. And only then for everyone else. Since, by the will of fate, "Voennoye Obozreniye" was in the category "all the rest", here are our impressions of the events that we attended.
Accreditation. We ordered it through the website of the Ministry of Defense, on time and provided all the requested information. About me, equipment, vehicle. Everything is as it should be. Why am I writing about this in such detail? It will become clear a little later.
Alabino
Here at the opening, as it were, they were still more or less equal. Everyone was brought in by buses, the best seats were given to the Rossiya State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company and foreign media, the rest were arranged as best they could. Considering some of our preparation, we did not feel particularly disadvantaged. It was cramped for everyone, but somehow they fit.
But it was at the opening that an announcement was made that a certain "Press Tour" was being formed, where, in principle, everyone was invited. Its essence was that the Defense Ministry took the participants of this press tour to all the events of the Army Games. By airplanes, helicopters and other vehicles. The idea was not bad, but we abandoned it. We simply could not afford to live in Moscow for two weeks, and decided that we would get to the events of interest to us ourselves.
We realized that we had made a big mistake the very next day.
Ryazan, "Aviadarts"
These were my fourth Darts, and, to be honest, I expected more from them than from the Voronezh stages. New landfill and all that. To be honest, there were some complaints about the Voronezh stages, but as it turned out, I was mad about the fat.
So, right after the end of the opening ceremony in Alabino, we moved to Dubrovichi. And arrived there early in the morning. We arrived at the checkpoint of the polygon, passing two checkpoints, where we were calmly let through, having seen the accreditation cards for the "Games". At the checkpoint we were met by Captain Seliverstov, who in rather harsh terms demanded that the car be removed for the first checkpoint. He argued this by a personal order of Colonel Klimov, head of the press service of the Air Force.
I called Klimov. And he, lo and behold, confirmed it. Since we were not accredited through the Air Force headquarters, we could not have a proper pass, because the car behind the checkpoint and further "on a general basis." That is, on dedicated buses.
The "common grounds" that day is a 4 km march with cameras, tripods and other pribludes. The promised buses were not there. Neither from the Air Force, nor from the Ministry of Defense, nor from the governor of Ryazan. Everyone wishing to visit this holiday walked.
Having reached the checkpoint, we found a crowd of those who had come before us. The crowd tried to squeeze through 4 metal detector frames. We approached the barrier and asked to let us through it. They really feared for the camera in the crowd.
Naturally, they didn’t let us in. Obviously, MANPADS could be cleverly hidden in our luggage. Although luxurious jeeps drove quite calmly and without inspections.
Thanks to the residents of Ryazan who let us through.
Once on the territory, we did not have time to relax. They did not want to let us into the press center either, since we have no passes. The arguments that the cards are issued precisely at the press center were for weaklings. And there were no such people on guard. It took one more call to Colonel Klimov and his appearance on the stage. Then they let us through.
Further in the press center it took some more time to prove that we have the right to be there. They could not find our accreditation for a very long time. And they found it only with the help of one captain, who was able to dig it out in the bowels of the computer. Moreover, the ladies from the press service of the Air Force accused us of this. Say, it was necessary to get accredited through our service, they would be like people.
And the last thing. When it was officially announced that the event was stopped due to the plane crash, do you think there were buses for people? That's right, it wasn't. Another march. Thanks BBC!
In general, in comparison with the events in Pogonovo, Aviadarts in Dubrovichi did not just look pale. He didn't look at all.
Ostrogozhsk. "ABT Masters"
Taught by the bitter Ryazan experience, we were ready for anything. However, we were not only allowed to pass without problems, but also together with our car. And nobody really needed our accreditation to work. Although, upon entering the press center, upon seeing the Air Force lieutenant colonel, we tensed a little. Ryazan syndrome worked. However, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel Drobyshevsky turned out to be a real comrade for the correspondents. Both locals and those who were brought by helicopters as part of a press tour from Buturlinovka, where they were thrown by plane.
Everyone was given the same job. Both local and arrived. To work exactly the way the correspondents wanted. For this, special thanks to both the command of military unit 20155 and the representatives of the press service, Lieutenant Colonel Drobyshevsky and Lieutenant Polovodov.
I am sincerely sorry that next year "ABT Masters" are planned to be held in Chelyabinsk. The Ostrogozh training center knows how to organize the process. And when work becomes a holiday, it becomes easier to work.
Wide Karamysh. "Masters of artillery fire"
A visit to the Saratov region was the pinnacle of our adventures. I confess that we were not ready for such a turn of events.
We arrived there on the morning of August 10th. In accordance with the instructions on the MO website, that on this day everything will be shown to correspondents. So we arrived.
They let us in quite calmly, and we got to the press center. And then miracles began. I will not describe for a long time what happened, I will limit myself to the fact that we were not expected there. Nobody was expected at all, except for the representatives of the "press tour". Accordingly, they were given the opportunity to film everything, while we were given the opportunity to film everything, "on a common basis," that is, on the podium. The whole problem is that this training ground is an artillery range. That is, long. And from the tribune I could not "reach" the most interesting places with my optics. Well, I do not yet have such lenses as those of Muscovites. And Romina's camera cannot be 2 km away either. Therefore, we were ready to climb as close as possible, we still need to do something.
And then Mr. Colonel (the name was not on the jacket) explained to me that we have accreditation or not, he doesn't care. There is an instruction - only representatives of the "press tour" should be brought to the landfill, and that's it. The rest - to the podium. Point.
We were forced to refuse to work there. Having driven 560 kilometers, half of which along the terrible Saratov roads, "attaching" the car in one place, not in the best weather conditions (+43), we still wanted to work there. This is a certain principle. But - alas. They just started to ignore us. It is very unpleasant to feel like talking furniture.
So, as a media representative (albeit an Internet media, but what kind!) I have questions to the Ministry of Defense:
1. For whom were these games started? If for a dozen mainstream media in the country, then why issue accreditations to the rest?
2. If accreditation is issued, if a vehicle is declared in it, then why is it impossible to use it where it is really needed (Dubrovichi)? And, on the contrary, in Ostrogozhsk I would have walked these 300 meters playfully. But there they missed it.
3. If there is accreditation, why do people on the spot just spit on it (Karamysh)? What is her price then?
4. Why was the division into first and second grade required? The first (press tour) - everything, the second - the tribune. Are they better at writing or filming? Perhaps, but each media has its own audience. I saw a lack of interest in the media, except for channels 1 and 2, Zvezda, RT and Life News. Appreciated.
The "Army Games" are over for me. I don’t know how it will be in the next one, if, as in this one, it will be easier to accumulate other people's photos, and that’s the end of it. And it's even easier - just watch the TV set. And you don't have to go anywhere, prove your right to work, and try to talk about how wonderful everything is in the armed forces. Everything can be seen on channel 1. Or on the "Star".
The only question is whether these channels are watched by those for whom we are trying to work. That is, young people who live not in front of the TV, but in front of the monitor. And here, personally, I have an unequivocal answer. But the press service of the Ministry of Defense is clearly not clear.
PS Already when I wrote all my thoughts, I was asked the question: now the Ministry of Defense will "ban" you for criticism, so what? But nothing. I will go as a spectator, if necessary. Because the third-class correspondent does not differ very much from the viewer. So nothing. Experienced and not like that.
