BoyElroy
02-23-2006, 12:27 PM
RIA Novosti
February 21, 2006
HEADLINE: Russia's army to become 70% professional by 2008 - minister
BODY:
MOSCOW, February 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's army will become 70% contract-based by the year 2008, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said in an interview carried Tuesday by a leading Russian daily.
"We expect the percentage of professional servicemen, including officers, to reach 70% as early as 2008," Ivanov told Izvestia. "This, in turn, will make it possible to dramatically enhance the combat efficiency of active units and to reduce conscription to 12 months [from the current 24 months]."
According to the minister, some 42,000 professional soldiers and sergeants joined the ranks last year and 31,000 more volunteers are expected to sign up for contractual service in the year ahead.
Ivanov said to the newspaper that raising the living standards for career officers was among the defense ministry's top priorities.
Military allowances have been raised 15% so far this year, and will be increased by a total of 67% over the next three years, he said.
The minister acknowledged, however, that the lack of housing remained an acute problem, with many servicemen's families living in cramped barracks and rented flats. The government makes extensive use of housing vouchers and market investment mechanisms to deal with the problem, but housing programs for the military have hit the financial rocks lately, with the prices of residential space soaring in Moscow, St. Petersburg and the surrounding regions, he said.
Ivanov assured the paper that the Russian army and navy were strong enough to guarantee national security. "The current state of the Armed Forces allows one to say with certainty that they are in a position to adequately respond to any challenges and threats to national security."
Yet, despite its high defense capabilities, Russia has been consistently advocating the idea of reducing the use of military force to deterrence and solving international conflicts through diplomacy, Ivanov said.
"Russia's possession of a sufficient military potential and of a modern and effective army is becoming a condition for its successful and smooth integration into the emerging system of international relations," he said.
According to the minister, Russia has made appreciable progress in building up its strategic nuclear arsenal in the past few years. He specifically mentioned successful test launches of Bulava missiles - a submarine-launched version of the country's most advanced ballistic missile, the Topol-M (SS-27).
Ivanov said the increased combat readiness of Russia's army and navy was due to better personnel training, achieved primarily through large-scale military exercises, and to the provision of sophisticated weaponry and hardware.
He attributed the recent improvements in defense capabilities to a growing share of allocations for army development in the government's overall defense spending.
As much as 70% of the defense outlay went to maintain the armed forces in 2001, with a mere 30% spent on their development, whereas in 2005 the ratio was changed to 60%-40%, Ivanov said. By 2011, the percentage of army development appropriations will be increased to 50%, added the minister.
LOAD-DATE: February 21, 2006
February 21, 2006
HEADLINE: Russia's army to become 70% professional by 2008 - minister
BODY:
MOSCOW, February 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's army will become 70% contract-based by the year 2008, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said in an interview carried Tuesday by a leading Russian daily.
"We expect the percentage of professional servicemen, including officers, to reach 70% as early as 2008," Ivanov told Izvestia. "This, in turn, will make it possible to dramatically enhance the combat efficiency of active units and to reduce conscription to 12 months [from the current 24 months]."
According to the minister, some 42,000 professional soldiers and sergeants joined the ranks last year and 31,000 more volunteers are expected to sign up for contractual service in the year ahead.
Ivanov said to the newspaper that raising the living standards for career officers was among the defense ministry's top priorities.
Military allowances have been raised 15% so far this year, and will be increased by a total of 67% over the next three years, he said.
The minister acknowledged, however, that the lack of housing remained an acute problem, with many servicemen's families living in cramped barracks and rented flats. The government makes extensive use of housing vouchers and market investment mechanisms to deal with the problem, but housing programs for the military have hit the financial rocks lately, with the prices of residential space soaring in Moscow, St. Petersburg and the surrounding regions, he said.
Ivanov assured the paper that the Russian army and navy were strong enough to guarantee national security. "The current state of the Armed Forces allows one to say with certainty that they are in a position to adequately respond to any challenges and threats to national security."
Yet, despite its high defense capabilities, Russia has been consistently advocating the idea of reducing the use of military force to deterrence and solving international conflicts through diplomacy, Ivanov said.
"Russia's possession of a sufficient military potential and of a modern and effective army is becoming a condition for its successful and smooth integration into the emerging system of international relations," he said.
According to the minister, Russia has made appreciable progress in building up its strategic nuclear arsenal in the past few years. He specifically mentioned successful test launches of Bulava missiles - a submarine-launched version of the country's most advanced ballistic missile, the Topol-M (SS-27).
Ivanov said the increased combat readiness of Russia's army and navy was due to better personnel training, achieved primarily through large-scale military exercises, and to the provision of sophisticated weaponry and hardware.
He attributed the recent improvements in defense capabilities to a growing share of allocations for army development in the government's overall defense spending.
As much as 70% of the defense outlay went to maintain the armed forces in 2001, with a mere 30% spent on their development, whereas in 2005 the ratio was changed to 60%-40%, Ivanov said. By 2011, the percentage of army development appropriations will be increased to 50%, added the minister.
LOAD-DATE: February 21, 2006