MOSCOW. Aug 23 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov left for a working visit to the Siberian military district on Friday.
"The minister wants to examine combat training of the troops, and study major problems related to staff reduction in the district," a source in the Defense Ministry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
The trip will last until August 28, the source said. Ivanov will visit the 41st combined arms army headquarters in Novosibirsk, a firing ground in the Kemerovo region and the district headquarters in Chita. In addition, he will go to the Novoborzinsk firing field in the Trans-Baikal region to watch an exercise of a tank battalion.
"Sergei Ivanov intends to study the level of the troops' combat and mobilization readiness, the state of armament and military hardware and solution of material and technical support problems and servicemen's social problems," the source said.
The minister is expected to arrive in Chita on August 28 to take part in a conference involving high-ranking officials of the district. The conference is expected to focus on realization of military reform plans in Russia. Ivanov will subsequently report to President Vladimir Putin on the situation in the troops.