Freedom of religion in Russia
There is a universal military draft for men, but the Constitution provides for alternative service for those who refuse to bear arms for reasons of conscience. The length of alternative service is longer than the standard military service. The standard length of military service is 18 months, alternative service in a Ministry of Defense agency is 27 months, and alternative service in a nondefense agency is 31.5 months. Some human rights groups have complained that the extended length of service for draftees requesting alternative assignments acts as a punishment for those who exercise their convictions.
Military academies in Russia
The Moscow Military Music College is a spin-off of the Suvorov Military School (affiliated with the school in 1944 but was established in 1937). Its mission was and still is to train future Soviet Army and Russian Army and Air Force military musicians and conductors and is famous for its Corps of Drums, a participant in the Moscow Victory Parade of 1945 and a regular participant in Revolution Day (1940 to 1990), Victory Day (1965, 1985, 1990, 1995–2008, 2012–present), and until 1966 May Day military parades. The corps is led by a drum major. The corps's instrumentation includes snare drums, fifes, trumpets, glockenspiels and during occasions, bass drums, tenor drums and fanfare bugles. A Turkish crescent from the college was used as its symbol in the Revolution Day and Victory Day parades from 1975 to 1990, later replaced in 1995 by the college's color guard squad carrying the collegiate Regimental Color (a new color was granted to the institution in 2008). It also has its own nationally and internationally famous training band wing that perform in various military tattoos in Russia and various European countries.