ROSTOV-ON-DON. Nov 12 (Interfax-AVN) - One-half of soldiers and sergeants serving in the North Caucasus military district are expected to be transferred to a contract basis by the end of 2007, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told reporters in Rostov-on-Don on Friday.
"The district's administration has been working hard in recent years to make this large strategic operations entity capable of protecting Russia from external threats and contributing to anti-terrorist operations," the minister said.