KIEV. Nov 23 (Interfax-AVN) - The Ukrainian Armed Forces are planning to abolish 20 percent of posts of generals, a spokesman for the Defense Ministry said on Friday.
According to data obtained by Interfax-Military News Agency, there are some 2,000 posts of generals in the Ukrainian army.
The news of the forthcoming reduction was announced by Colonel General Ivan Bizhan, first deputy defense minister, at a research and practical conference on the army's personnel reform that ended in Kiev on Thursday.
The introduction of the ranks of brigadier general and commodore captain will not require additional budget allocation, Bizhan stressed. "The innovation is only possible in case changes are made to the current legislation," he noted.
In general, the Ukrainian army will be reduced by almost 9,000 people in 2002. Over 5,000 officers and warrants will be fired from the military service ahead of schedule, the spokesman said.