KHANKALA, August 28 (AVN) - A planned rotation of federal units in the North Caucasus will start in September in accordance with a directive of Chief-of-Staff Anatoly Kvashnin, a spokesman for the unified federal headquarters said on Tuesday.
Regiment-size, brigade-size and battalion-size task forces that have been in Chechnya since early 2001 will be replaced by newly-established formations in September and October, the spokesman told the Military News Agency. They have taken a special training course at training grounds and centres and their study programme was based on the experience gained by federal troops in the North Caucasus warfare.
According to the spokesman, the rotation will be held in strict compliance with the schedule approved by the General Staff. Replacement of the units should not affect combat readiness of the federal troops or slow down special operations against guerrilla gangs, the spokesman claimed.
Troops will be taken to and from Chechnya by trains. Military transport aviation will be used for relocation of special forces in exceptional cases with Kvashnin's personal approval.