Russian troops to be exposed to jazz for morale

MOSCOW, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- The Russian Defense Ministry said it will expose its troops to jazz in an effort to make the Russian army more friendly and modern.

The project, "Ten Major Global Jazz Melodies," will feature jazz tunes posted on the ministry's website as soon as this year, said the ministry's head of culture, Anton Gubankov.

"We're already patriotic enough," he said. "When soldiers are marching in formation, they sing patriotic songs, but after service you want something for your soul. The jazz melodies project is a project for the soul."

He said the endeavor is meant to make soldiers appear more friendly, adaptive, modern and relatable to young people.

The effort coincides with a recent increase in the public's confidence in the military, Gubankov told RIA Novosti.

"According to the latest information from [state polling agency] VTsIOM , the level of confidence in the army is 61 percent," he said. "It hasn't been like that for many years."