MOSCOW. March 30 (Interfax-AVN) - No conscripts will serve in Chechnya starting from 2005, Colonel General Vasily Smirnov, chief of the General Staff Mobilization Directorate, said on Tuesday.
"Under the federal purpose-oriented program, the 42nd motorized rifle division of the Armed Forces and the 46th detached brigade of the Interior Ministry Force will be manned with professional servicemen by the end of 2004. We expect no conscripts to stay in Chechnya starting from 2005," Smirnov told reporters.
In response to a question from Interfax-Military News Agency, Smirnov said that military commissioner's offices in Chechnya will recruit people for active-duty service on common grounds. "Of course, there are still limitations on the work of military commissioner's offices in Chechnya, this is due to objective reasons. Nevertheless, all military commissioner's offices in Chechnya will be involved in the spring draft," he said.
Smirnov stressed that nearly all companies of military commandant's offices in Chechnya are manned by Chechens.