MOSCOW, 24 Mar-RIA Novosti. The success of the Russian operation in Syria, the development of modern weapons and the special attention in Western countries to space as a theater of possible military operations confirmed the correctness and timeliness of the creation of Space Troops in Russia, the first commander of the Space Forces, Colonel-General Anatoly Perminov, told RIA Novosti.
Twenty years ago-on March 24, 2001, the decree of the President of Russia created a new branch of the armed forces-the Space Forces. As an independent branch of the Armed Forces, they existed until 2011, after which they were transformed into the Aerospace Defense Forces, and since 2015 became part of the Aerospace Forces under the original name. The scope of responsibility includes monitoring and identifying threats to the country from space, launching spacecraft into orbit, managing the orbital group, etc.
"The correctness of the approaches was confirmed by the real activity of our Armed Forces in the combat situation in Syria," the general added.
According to him, the interaction of various branches and types of troops has increased after the creation of the Space Forces, but it is necessary to continue to increase it - to increase the use of space forces and means in land, sea and air operations.
Speaking about the formation of troops in 2001, he said that the decision was not unexpected, but was the result of a long-term work of the commission of the Security Council and the Ministry of Defense, which studied the situation with the interaction of different types and types of troops, assessed potential threats to Russia. The question of appointing Perminov as commander was also determined in advance, since before that he headed the main headquarters of the Strategic Missile Forces and supervised the rocket and space defense forces, was the head of the Plesetsk test site.
"I remember that day-the Minister of Defense announced my appointment (March 28, 2001-ed.), and since no one else was appointed, I went to the Chief of the General Staff Anatoly Kvashnin to solve the issues of recruiting Space Troops," Perminov recalled.
According to him, the "backbone" of the Space Forces were colleagues in the Strategic Missile Forces, in this matter, the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Colonel-General Nikolai Solovtsov, helped a lot. And Perminov himself, if there was an opportunity to go back 20 years ago, would still accept the offer to lead a new branch of the armed forces and in the same way led the formation of troops.