MOSCOW. June 3 (Interfax-AVN) - The appointment of General of the Army Nikolai Makarov as General Staff chief was a good choice, said Mikhail Babich, State Duma Defense Committee vice chairman.
"He was the optimal choice. Makarov was one of the few candidates who knew the armed forces inside and out," Babich told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
Makarov is an experienced military commander who has been in charge of strategic planning issues for a long time, he said. "He has gone through all levels in his career ladder," Babich said.
"I know that Makarov is the author of proposals on reform in the armed forces," he said.
Nikolai Ozerov, the head of the Federation Council's Defense and Security Committee, also welcomed Makarov's appointment as General Staff chief.
"Makarov's knowledge of the situation of the troops is first-hand, he is in absolute command of the problems related to the armaments program until 2015," Ozerov told Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.
"Our committee believes that Makarov is a person with whom all aspects of military developments can be tackled," the senator said.