Dedovshchina

Dedovshchina (Russian: дедовщи́на; ; lit. grandfatherism) is the name given to the informal system of subjection of new junior conscripts, formerly to the Soviet Armed Forces and today to the Russian armed forces, Internal Troops, and (to a much lesser extent) FSB border guards, as well as the military forces of certain former Soviet Republics, to brutalization by the conscripts serving their last year of compulsory military service as well as NCOs and officers. Dedovshchina is the Soviet and Russian variety of the US, Canadian, etc. hazing tradition (or the Nonnismo in the Italian Army before its transformation in a volunteer army) involving harsh, unofficial initiation of a person into a military organization.