MOSCOW. Jan 19 (Interfax-AVN) - The 2005 budget will not allow the Russian Defense Ministry to finance construction of a number of crucial special and military facilities, a source in the ministry told Interfax-Military News Agency on Wednesday.
"The 2005 budget has allocated about 5.9 billion Russian rubles ($209.8 million), which is about 20% less than that, envisioned by the 2004 budget, to the Defense Ministry for constructing special military facilities. Thus, it will not be able to finance construction of a number of facilities," the source said.
He emphasized that the Defense Ministry would have to maneuver its funds to fulfil plans on constructing priority facilities, such as the Central Firing Range in the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, the Strategic Missile Forces command and control post in Tatishchevo, the Svobodny Space Center, and the Angara launch system at the Plesetsk Space Center.
However, the source says that it will not be possible to fund construction in the interests of the two alpine brigades, deployed in the North Caucasus, the Russian military base in Tajikistan, and the Russian air base in Kyrgyzstan.
The source did not rule out the possibility that the budget deficit might result in mothballing facilities under construction.