MOSCOW. Aug 11 (Interfax-AVN) - A bill amending the Law on Defense, which President Dmitry Medvedev has submitted to the State Duma, aims to create a legal instrument for the Russian armed forces' rapid use abroad, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said.
"The bill, submitted by the president, aims to create a fully- fledged legal mechanism, allowing the commander-in-chief to use Russian military formation rapidly outside the Russian Federation for the purpose of defending Russia and its citizens' interests. Naturally, the bill becomes even more important after the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict," Serdyukov told journalists on Monday.
"Importantly, the possibility of using the country's armed forces for defending its citizens is a common practice, applied in many countries. Moreover, it is part of the state's duty to its citizens," the defense minister said.