MOSCOW. Sept 26 (Interfax) - Over 325,000 servicemen joined the Russian Armed Forces between January 1 and September 26 in the interests of the joint group of forces, Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said.
"According to the Russian Defense Ministry, over 325,000 servicemen enlisted between January 1 and September 26 in the interests of the joint group of forces," Medvedev said at a meeting on additional staffing of the Russian Armed Forces.
Medvedev said at the beginning of the meeting that he had visited a range near the contact line in the Donetsk People's Republic on the orders of the Russian president.
He said he spoke with privates and officers who are being trained in the techniques of modern warfare, mastering firing skills and undergoing a combat shakedown, and "essentially entering battle." "The check showed that personnel are being properly trained and [that they] demonstrate excellent fighting qualities: will, firmness, and a determination to win," Medvedev said. He thanked the Russian Defense Ministry for its "high-quality combat and military-political training of servicemen and [for] ensuring a high level of military discipline."