MOSCOW. Oct 17 (Interfax-AVN) - Permanent-readiness units should be among the first Russian military units to be manned with professional servicemen, Lieutenant General Vasily Smirnov, head of the General Staff main mobilization department and deputy chief-of-staff, said on Thursday.
Only after that the term of active-duty service can be reduced, Smirnov told a news conference.
"According to forecasts and estimates of the General Staff, it will be possible to reduce the term of active-duty service with the Armed Forces and armed units of other law-enforcement agencies only after professional servicemen account for at least 50 percent of personnel of permanent-readiness units," Smirnov noted.
"Transition to professional service will have three stages. The initial, preparatory stage, will last until 2004, the executive stage until 2011 and final stage until 2020," he said.