ABAKAN. Feb 3 (Interfax-AVN) - The integration of the Railroad Forces with the Russian Armed Forces is undoubtedly an important step forward in improving the effectiveness of the military organization of the country, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said in Abakan Thursday after hearing the report of Colonel General Grigory Kogatko, Railroad Forces commander.
"I would like to recall that the decision to part the Railroad Forces that earlier were a component of the Armed Forces was stipulated by the political views domineering in the early 1990s," he said.
"However, the further developments, including the anti-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus, showed by way of illustration the need for overcoming the split of the elements of the national security organizations and achieving better interaction of them all," he added.
This is why President Vladimir Putin made up his mind to reintegrate the Railroad Forces with the Armed Forces, Ivanov said.
"In fact, the missions of the Railroad Forces will remain unchanged. They will ensure logistics support, construct new and maintain existing railroads," he said.