MOSCOW. Nov 28 (Interfax-AVN) - Every Russian fleet will have one marine battalion manned with contract servicemen before the end of 2005, Lieutenant General Igor Starcheus, chief of the Russian Navy's coastal forces, said on Monday.
"According to regulations, each of the four Russian fleets will have one battalion switched over to contract manning before the end of the year. In fact, the mission has been accomplished by nearly 100 percent," Starcheus told Interfax-Military News Agency.
He stressed that the Navy's marines do not have the mission to switch over to volunteer manning entirely. He did not rule out that in 2008, when the term of service with the Russian Armed Forces is reduced to one year, the mission may be assigned. "If such a mission is assigned, the marines will be manned with volunteers, I do not see any problems in it," he said.
According to Starcheus, the Navy command "is quite satisfied with mixed manning, i.e. with both contract and active-duty servicemen."
The Russian marine corps celebrated its 300th birthday last weekend.