| Country: | Russia |
| Details of Formation: | The group was established to promote Soviet learning; there is no information on the establishing agency or actor. It evolved into a supplementary law enforcement group. |
| Details of Termination: | The Volunteer People’s Militia is not mentioned in news or meta sources after 1999. |
| Purpose: | The group’s initial purpose was to promote Soviet learning. In time its main purposes shifted towards providing public security and fighting crime. The government supported the group because it was seen as embodiment of Lenin’s vision that every citizen should be involved in the functioning of the state. They are seen as very effective in stopping crime. |
| Organisation: | During Soviet times, the Volunteer People’s Militia was under the guidance of the Party and government organs. They assisted the Soviet militia (police). In 1999, they had links to the District Department. |
| Weapons and Training: | The news sources provide no information on whether the People’s Militia is usually armed, but there is evidence that it was armed with carbines at the time of the Chechen war and aftermath. |
| Size: | In 1984 the Volunteer People’s Milita had 13,000,000 members. |
| Reason for Membership: | -- |
| Treatment of Civilians: | -- |
| Other Information: | -- |
| References: | Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD. |