MOSCOW. Nov 16 (Interfax-AVN) - Over 78,000 positions of privates and sergeants in the Russian Armed Forces are manned by contract servicemen, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Thursday.
"More than 60 military units have embraced the new manning principle in the framework of the federal purpose-oriented program. Over 78,000 contract privates and sergeants man them," Ivanov told a conference of army and navy commanders in Moscow.
"An analysis of control exercises' results shows that the training level of our military professionals is still insufficient. The situation is the result of commanders' faults," he said.