MOSCOW. Jan 9 (Interfax-AVN) - The Defense Ministers Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization has adopted a decision to promote the status of the Central Asia Collective Rapid Deployment Forces commander, Lieutenant General Vasily Zavgorodny, deputy chief of the organization's Unified HQ, told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
"Given a 2.5-fold increase in the strength of the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces, the status of the commander has been promoted under the decision of the Defense Ministers Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Current commander Major General Sergey Chernomordin holds the post, now corresponding to the rank of a lieutenant general," Zavgorodsky said.
He also said that from now on the post of the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces commander would not be a part-time job. "Until now Major General Sergey Chernomordin has simultaneously been chief of staff of the Volga-Urals Military District, but in the near future he will be tasked with discharging only the duties of the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces commander," the general clarified.
He said that final responsibilities of the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces commander would be determined at the next meeting of the Defense Ministers Council and the Foreign Ministers Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization to be held in Astana, Kazakhstan, in May.
The Collective Rapid Deployment Forces were established on May 25, 2001 under the decision of heads of state of Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, which are signatories to the Collective Security Treaty. At that time the total strength of the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces equaled about 1,300 people.
The Kant military airbase, attached to the forces and deployed outside Bikhkek, which considerably increased the military power of the forces, came into service on October 23, 2003. In December 2003 the Defense Ministers Council decided to increase the strength of the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces 2.5-fold.