SERGEYEV EXPLAINS PLANNED MILITARY REFORM

NTV

June 11, 1997

[translation for personal use only]

>From the "Segodnya" newscast

Defense Minister Sergeyev has announced the start of a comprehensive military reform. He listed as the key areas the setting up of mobile units in the three regions important for national security - Moscow, the Far East, and the North Caucasus. This reform will make it possible to solve the problems of servicemen - you see, even among those who received high state awards from the minister today there were officers who have not been paid for months. Here is a report from Sergey Gaponin:

[Gaponin] Today's speech by Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev in the House of the Russian Army at a meeting attended by Heroes of the Soviet Union briefly summarized what must be done to carry out army reform in the country.

[Begin Sergeyev recording] The most important thing is to remove shortcomings in budget financing of the armed forces. [end recording]

[Gaponin] The minister said it is extremely important to free resources and redirect them to research and design work so that the country will have models for a new generation of weapons and start serial production of them in five or seven years. Another important task, he said, is to keep the combat-ready units which have an infrastructure, reliable equipment, and arms. On the basis of such units, Russia could have the military units of the future by 1998.

[Begin Sergeyev recording] One in the Far East, two in the Moscow Military District, one in the North Caucasus Military District. [end recording]

[Gaponin] The attitude to military education has to be reappraised - there are 105 military higher education establishments in Russia today and changing the organizational and staffing structure of the troops, which Sergeyev has been talking about today, should mean a significant reduction in the army, experts say. However, they've been talking about such a reduction for some time, but there has been no money either for this or to maintain the existing military Armada. Igor Sergeyev says there will be money for the first stage of military reform.

[Begin Sergeyev recording] I think the president will take measures to fulfill commitments which remain after the [budget] sequester - that it, to provide at least for the beginning; if not, we will be witnessing a slow death. [end recording]

[Gaponin] The defense minister said his report, which contains the essence of plans to transformation the army, has been approved by the president. Maybe this is what has led him to believe that the reform will go ahead. But as it stands now, some of those who have not been paid wages for months are here today being awarded Hero of Russia medals for bravery and heroism.

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Johnson's Russia List

13 June 1997

djohnson@cdi.org