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| Lieutenant Ksenia Agarkova smiles after winning the Miss Army beauty contest in Moscow. The contest captured the nation's imagination, getting prime-time television coverage.(AFP) |
Posted on 06/22/2005 8:22:11 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Russian army beauties wow nation at Miss Army 2005
Wed Jun 22, 8:26 AM ET
MOSCOW (AFP) - A Miss Army contest in which Russian female soldiers took to the catwalk cheered on by admiring male colleagues captured the nation's imagination, getting prime-time television coverage.
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| Lieutenant Ksenia Agarkova smiles after winning the Miss Army beauty contest in Moscow. The contest captured the nation's imagination, getting prime-time television coverage.(AFP) |
The show on Tuesday night at Moscow's Russian Army Theatre pitched 19 finalists against each other for the chance to be crowned Miss Army and have their image on national television as Russia's dedicated military channel.
"Since we're soldiers, our first concern is automatic weapons -- boys come second," a group of female soldiers sang during the glitzy performance, accompanied, in an adaptation of an old army song, by male officers playing guitars.
The idea of Miss Army, which began in 2003, came from a Soviet-era event called Miss Red Star.
Today is is a chance to correct society's misconceptions about army life, said senior officials, a view supported by admiring television presenters covering the event.
Rather than the images of begrimed soldiers usually seen on television, spectators saw sweetly smiling women in khaki mini-skirts, one of whom, the contest's first winner in 2003, extolled the "spiritual power" that women brought to military life.
Russia's army has a grim reputation for hazing and brutality, frequently leading to suicide deaths
"The best propaganda for the army," was how Russia's Channel 1 described the event.
"All armies have their problems. Society has a negative view of the army, the deaths. But this evening is wonderful. It is nothing but positive emotions, thanks to women," Colonel Gennady Dzyuba of Russia's defence ministry said.
"Those who have served, especially in hot spots, know the importance of women, they calm the team down. We restrain ourselves in front of them, desist from courseness," Dzyuba said.
On stage, two film screens showed the contestants passing a three-day drill near Moscow -- crawling in combat uniform, clambering into tanks and running delicately with automatic weapons clutched to their bosoms, never for a moment losing their smiles.
It was not exactly a true reflection of real life for women in the army, few of whom are likely to find themselves in combat. They mainly occupy support roles, working as telegraphists, nurses and laboratory engineers.
But the point was to boost the image of an institution more usually associated with bullying and deadly missions to Russia's rebellious Chechnya republic, where 46 soldiers were in combat in just one week, according to a military prosecutor.
"We have to resurrect the prestige of the Russian army, since many guys don't want to enrol. This contest makes them want to join," a former Miss Army, Tatyana Posevnina of the Petrozavodsk cartographic division, told AFP.
"They tell themselves -- if there are such nice girls in the army, it could be worth it," Posevnina said.
While the contestants changed their costumes back-stage, video images of the young women parading in front of Moscow's museum of the Great Patriotic War, Russia's name for World War II, conjured associations with a past age, when few dared question the value of army service.
Anna Kachan, a psychologist from an army family, said she had very down-to-earth reasons for following in her father's footsteps and joining the army.
"I earn 8,000 roubles (285 dollars, 235 euros)" per month. "By comparison with average salaries for women in my region -- about 5,000 or 6,000 roubles -- that's a good salary," Kachan said.
She will however be returning home without the title of Miss Army 2005, which was won by Lieutenant Ksenya Agarkova, an engineer with the navy's Northern Fleet.
Sporting a red scarf representing the Far East military zone, her image will be reproduced on a poster, ensuring she becomes well-known among Russia's vast military, which has around 1.1 million men and 90,000 women.
What a cutie....
pics? (of automatic weapons)
$285 a month? If she gets a decent agent she will make that in 50 seconds doing a peanut-brained reality show here. Although I can't stomach that crap, good for her.
This story got some coverage on cable this morning.
Is this some kind of enlistment bonus program ??? :-)
No NBA please! They went through enough and reconciliation abounds and influx of filth is not required.They can be beautiful and admired from afar but not be anything except but for their own courageous men.
On the plain side compared to most of the women here in California.
Plain is Good but you wouldn't know.
Check out the rest, too.
I'll double her salary, and she can come and defend my apartment.
She can arm my warhead any day. (and the awful analogies continue)
Well, the first photo on that site is a real looker.
Flippant comment yet bears consideration.Many beautiful Russian Women have left and been exploited and abused and used in these "freedom lands". Many had a semblance of chastity or religious ties or family ties which were seriously disturbed by the people they met in other lands.
Yea, but without the help of Dr. 90210...
That's gotta count for something!
So is this one:
Once I learn how to pronounce her name, we will be able to communicate...
Because she may but be a number on a scale to you.Have you ever operated these arms or trained?Yeh you pumped up in front of a mirror or looking at your next catches butt?
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