The current level of development of the Russian Federation does not require the authorities to militarize the countryThe authorities will not engage in the militarization of Russia and its economy — the level of development of the country today simply does not require it.
This was stated by President Vladimir Putin on December 21, speaking at the final meeting of the board of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The Head of State stressed that even now he considers the people of Ukraine fraternal, and the events taking place in the neighboring country are tragic. The ongoing special military operation was the result of the policy of third countries, he is sure. According to Vladimir Putin, Russia will continue to improve its armed forces, while modernization will take place "calmly, rhythmically, without any fuss." At the same meeting, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made a number of proposals to strengthen border security. Among them is an increase in the number of Armed Forces to 1.5 million people, an increase in the military age to 21 years, as well as the creation of the Moscow and Leningrad military districts. Experts note that such measures were developed taking into account the realities of their own and are caused by the approach of NATO to our borders.
"Rhythmically, without any fuss"
Russia will continue to improve its armed forces, but at the same time will not allow the militarization of the entire state, Vladimir Putin said during the final expanded meeting of the board of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
— We will not engage in the militarization of the country and the militarization of the economy. First of all, because the level of development achieved today, the structure of the economy and so on do not require it, we simply do not need to do something unnecessary to the detriment of the country, to the detriment of our people and the economy of the social sphere," he said.
The President added that the country will improve not only the Armed Forces, but also the entire "military component of the state."
Russian President Vladimir Putin at an expanded meeting of the Board of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation at the National Defense Management Center
Image source: Photo: Official website of the President of the Russian Federation
— We will do it calmly, rhythmically, without any fuss, consistently. We will solve the tasks in the field of strengthening defense capability in general and the tasks that are in the course of a special military operation," he said.
At the same time, Vladimir Putin noted that the fighting during the military operation also identified issues that should be worked out promptly. According to the President, it is necessary to improve communications, automated systems for controlling troops and weapons, counter-battery tactics, targeting, and so on.
"It is important to increase the combat capabilities of the Aerospace Forces, including fighters and bombers when they operate in the area of operation of modern air defense systems," the head of state stressed.
Another urgent task is to improve unmanned aerial vehicles, including strategic and reconnaissance—strike ones, as well as ways of using them. According to the President, the arsenal of such means should be in all departments, platoons, companies, battalions.
The tragic events taking place in Ukraine today were the result of the actions of states, both before and after the collapse of the USSR, who considered Russia too big a country to be fragmented, Vladimir Putin noted.
— We have always, and you know my position, considered the Ukrainian people a fraternal people, and I still think so. What is happening is, of course, a tragedy, our common tragedy. But it is not the result of our policy, but on the contrary, it is the result of the policy of other countries, third countries that have always sought to do this, to the disintegration of the Russian world," the Russian president stressed. — To a certain extent, they have succeeded and pushed us to the line where we found ourselves.
Photo: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
Image source: iz.ru
The Commander-in-Chief recalled that until February 2022, Moscow had repeatedly made steps towards rapprochement and partnership with Kiev.
— We have been making attempts for decades to build relations (with Ukraine) in new geopolitical conditions, we have done everything to build not just good—neighborly, but fraternal relations in new conditions: we gave loans and supplied almost free energy resources for years, — Vladimir Putin listed. — No, nothing worked, just nothing.
Plus two counties
Today, the united forces of the West are opposing Russian servicemen in Ukraine, Sergei Shoigu noted at the beginning of his speech. The United States and its allies are pumping the Kiev regime with weapons, training military personnel, providing intelligence information, sending advisers and mercenaries, waging an information and sanctions war, he stressed.
— In order to guarantee the solution of the tasks of ensuring the military security of the Russian Federation, it is necessary to increase the number of armed forces to 1.5 million servicemen, including contract servicemen — up to 695 thousand people, — the minister said.
According to Sergei Shoigu, there is a need for the creation of the Moscow and Leningrad military districts.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu
Image source: Photo: Official website of the President of the Russian Federation
"Given NATO's desire to increase military potential near the Russian borders, as well as expand the North Atlantic Alliance at the expense of Finland and Sweden, retaliatory measures are required to create an appropriate grouping of troops in the north—west of Russia," the minister explained.
In addition, he proposed to form new divisions, including two amphibious ones, as well as reformat motorized rifle brigades into divisions. For each combined arms (tank) army, it is planned to create a mixed aviation division and an army aviation brigade. There will also be new aviation regiments.
To create an artillery reserve, five artillery divisions of military districts will be formed, as well as large-capacity artillery brigades.
According to military historian Dmitry Boltenkov, these proposals did not come as a surprise. Such ideas appeared in the military department long before the SVO and became a response to the increasing level of confrontation with NATO.
— Back in 2014, it became clear that the Western Military District has too large a zone of responsibility. Therefore, the Northern Fleet was first allocated from its composition, and already in 2016-2017, the first plans for the division of the Military District into the Leningrad and Moscow military districts appeared," Dmitry Boltenkov noted. — At that time, the first publications appeared in several departmental publications about the need to form an artillery division in each military district. And since 2017, plans have repeatedly been made about a possible increase in the number of airborne troops.
For example, the former commander-in-chief of the airborne troops, General Andrey Serdyukov, spoke about plans to form the 104th airborne Division. The new connection should appear just in 2023. For several years there have been plans to deploy Marine brigades in the division.
According to the military historian, the idea of forming an aviation division and a brigade of army aviation in each combined-arms army appeared in the late 1980s in the USSR.
Photo: RIA Novosti/Konstantin Mikhalchevsky
Image source: iz.ru
— This decision appeared as a result of the analysis of the experience of the war in Afghanistan. According to those plans, the army aviation brigades had a very interesting staff. In addition to helicopters, there were also attack aircraft and transport planes with a shortened take—off," Dmitry Boltenkov noted. — But it was not possible to implement the plans due to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The expert is confident that such a plan will be implemented now.
— Our aviation industry produces enough aviation equipment to complete these aircraft parts and formations. And the experience of its own will allow commanders to use this tool correctly and effectively on the battlefield," Boltenkov summed up.
Under 21
Sergei Shoigu also suggested that when recruiting the armed forces, gradually increase the age of conscription of citizens from 18 to 21 years, and raise the limit to 30 years. And as an addition — to provide an opportunity to enroll in military service under a contract from the first day of service.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Alexander Polegenko
Image source: iz.ru
— Now a large percentage of military personnel under contract in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are so—called alternative military personnel who preferred to sign a contract for two years instead of one year of military service, — military expert Vladislav Shurygin recalled. — Moreover, it was thanks to the "alternators" that it was possible to seriously increase the share of contract servicemen in the Russian army. Therefore, Sergei Shoigu's new proposals are quite clear. With an increase in the age of conscription from 18 to 21 years, and the maximum — up to 30 years, the military department expects to maximize the share of "alternative workers". Moreover, Sergei Shoigu himself spoke about such plans in his speech.
Ideally, the military department wants to get a situation where military enlistment offices will immediately conclude contracts with fighters for two years. Thus, it will not be necessary to increase the term of military service on conscription, Shurygin is sure.
Alexey Ramm
Bogdan Stepovoy
