MOSCOW. May 7 (Interfax-AVN) - The manning problem is a priority for the Russian military leadership, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said in an interview with the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper published on Tuesday.
Development of the Armed Forces required improvements in the system of manning the army and navy with officers in accordance with updated federal legislation in the sphere of army development and education and transition to professional military service, Ivanov said.
"Training of specialists in higher educational establishments of the Defense Ministry remains the basis of military personnel training. After the collapse of the USSR, 47 out of 150 higher educational establishments of the former Soviet Defense Ministry remained outside Russia. Training of officers in all necessary professions and in accordance with demands of the Russian army has been restored and is underway in 56 higher educational establishments and 25 affiliates. A series of new regulatory documents has been put in effect as required by state educational standards and changing demand for training of officers for the army and navy," Ivanov said.
Manning of the Armed Forces with well-trained and prepared personnel that meets present-day requirements remains the main aim of HR work in the army and navy, the minister stressed. "The personnel of the army and navy was reduced from 2.822 million to 1.2 million from May 1992 to January 1, 2002," he said.
Nevertheless, combat readiness of the Armed Forces is preserved on a required level. "Troops groupings are reinforced on potentially dangerous theaters of operation such as the Southwestern and Central Asian ones through deployment of additional combat-ready units and formations. The strategic section of control over the Armed Forces is optimized. At the same time, the structure, composition and strength of central military control bodies of the Armed Forces have been adjusted to the updated structure and combat composition of arms of service and military branches. A single system of functional and control activity has been established in the leadership of the Defense Ministry," Ivanov said.
Speaking about the social aspect of reforms that have been effected or are underway, the minister stressed that "this aspect is constantly in the center of attention of the Defense Ministry leadership." "We are fully aware that solution of a complex of servicemen's social problems is a very important prerequisite of successful development of the Russian Armed Forces in accordance with requirements of the 21st century," he said.
Ivanov said that the Russian government was taking a series of measures with a goal to increase the monetary allowance of servicemen and pensions of military pensioners, as well as replace some privileges to which working citizens, including servicemen, are entitled with monetary bonuses. "New standards of salaries attached to the position are to be introduced on July 1, 2002 and new standards of salaries attached to the rank on January 1, 2003. In addition, adjustment of professional servicemen's salaries to those of federal state employees will be written into law," he said.