MOSCOW. Nov 26 (Interfax-AVN) - The strength and organization of Russian peacekeepers being part of KFOR and SFOR missions in the Balkans will not change in 2003, Lieutenant General Valery Yevnevich, Peacekeeping Ops Deputy CinC, Russian Land Forces, told Interfax-Military News Agency Tuesday.
The plans on the optimization and contraction of the Russian military forces in Kosovo and Bosnia have been fully implemented this year, their organization has been essentially modified as was prescribed by the decision taken by the defense minister and the directive of the chief-of-staff, he said. Therefore, there is no need to change the strength of the forces in the coming year, he added.
This year, more than 1,500 personnel and 600 military hardware pieces have been air- and railway-lifted to Russia, Yevnevich also said.
According to him, the current Russian force within KFOR is about 650 men strong, and SFOR has 350 Russian servicemen.