ULYANOVSK. July 25 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian Armed Forces Chief- of-Staff Anatoly Kvashnin and a group of generals and officers arrived in the city of Ulyanovsk on Thursday, a source in the headquarters of the 31st separate airborne brigade told Interfax- Military News Agency.
"The aim of Kvashnin's two-day inspection trip is to check combat readiness of the 31st separate airborne brigade stationed in Ulyanovsk," the source said. According to him, the commission led by Kvashnin is planning to assess the progress in eliminating drawbacks in combat and airborne training and organization of guard- duty that were exposed by a General Staff commission in March.
The commission arrived at the brigade to investigate the desertion of two servicemen, who had killed a total of 10 people including six policemen while being on the loose.
Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov punished several commanders and chiefs responsible for the organization of service and combat training and the state of military discipline in the brigade as a result of the first inspection. In particular, Airborne Commander Georgy Shpak and Airborne Chief-of-Staff Lieutenant General Nikolai Staskov were reprimanded.
The 31st brigade under command of Colonel Nikolai Nikulnikov is a permanent readiness unit.
Shpak arrived at the brigade on Wednesday.