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.
Azerbaijanis in Russia
Similarly to all Muslims of the Caucasus and Central Asia, Azeris were exempt from compulsory military service in the Russian Imperial army, but were required to pay a special tax. Those willing to serve were allowed to enlist in irregular units, such as the Savage Division. At the same time, there was no restriction for Azeris (and other Muslim subjects of the Russian Empire) to be trained as officers. In 1805, Mammad Hasan agha Javanshir became one of the first Russian major generals of Azeri origin. Ethnic Azeri officers commanded Russian troops in a series of wars, including the Russo-Persian wars of 1804–1813 and 1826–1828, Russo-Turkish wars of 1828–1829 and 1877–1878, the suppression of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, the Crimean War, the Caucasian War, and the Russian conquest of Central Asia.