SAMARA, Volga Region. Dec 4 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, who is currently on a working trip through the Volga-Ural military district's garrisons, has postponed his departure from Samara to the town of Engels due to his extremely tense itinerary, a source in the 2nd general army headquarters told Interfax-Military News Agency on Tuesday.
It is possible that Ivanov will not make it to the aircraft base in Engels at all on Tuesday, the source said.
The defense minister has visited the Roshchino garrison where he inspected the 589th motorized rifle regiment. He said that he came to the region to make sure that it had solved all problems which made 70 active-duty servicemen go AWOL in search of protection in August this year.
Ivanov expressed content with changes in the regiment and stated that living conditions of the personnel became better. Wide-scale capital repairs have been made in the barracks in particular and in the infrastructure in general, combat equipment park is organized in accordance with all rules and demands, work on strengthening discipline, law and order is carried out as well. The minister had a 30-minute conversation with active duty servicemen in a barrack where no officers, warrant officers and the minister's entourage were present. After that Ivanov said that he was satisfied with the servicemen's morale.
During the visit to Engels Ivanov is supposed to hear the report of Lieutenant General Mikhail Oparin, commander of the 37th air force army, on the state and further development of long- range aircraft, to study equipment of the aircraft base, to get acquainted with promising weapons for long-range aviation. Ivanov is also planning to hear the report of Lieutenant General Viktor Denisov, commander of the 61st air force army, on the situation in the army and accomplishment of missions concerning delivery of humanitarian cargo to Afghanistan.
During his visit the defense minister is accompanied by Colonel General Vladislav Putilin, chief of the General Staff main mobilization department, Lieutenant General Alexander Rukshin, chief of the General Staff main operations department, and Lieutenant General Anatoly Mazurkevich, chief of the main international military cooperation department.