Shoigu said what large-scale changes in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will take place from 2023 to 2026 Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu held a meeting on increasing the number of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to 1.5 million military personnel as part of his work in the joint group of special military operation troops, the military department reported.
According to the minister, it is necessary to create two new military districts, reformat a number of military formations, and create a part from scratch. Later, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that the increase in the number of armed Forces is due to the proxy war that Western countries are waging against Russia. For more information, see the material "Newspapers.Ru".
Shoigu, as part of the work of the joint group of troops participating in the SVO in Ukraine, held a meeting with his deputies, the commanders-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Russia, dedicated to increasing the number of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to 1.5 million soldiers, the military department reported .
- Shoigu's words are quoted by the press service of the Ministry of Defense.
According to him, all measures to increase the size of the Armed Forces should be combined into a comprehensive plan, synchronized with the construction of infrastructure for the deployment of troops and with the timing of deliveries of weapons, military and special equipment under the state defense order.
Structural changes
According to the Minister, it is possible to ensure the military security of the state, protect new subjects and critically important objects of the Russian Federation only by strengthening the key structural components of the Armed Forces.
In this regard, he instructed to create two new interspecific strategic territorial associations of the Armed Forces - the Moscow and Leningrad military districts, as well as self-sufficient groups of troops (forces) on the territories of new subjects of the Russian Federation.
Separately, the Minister stressed the need to strengthen the combat component of the Navy, Aerospace Forces and Strategic Missile Forces.
According to him, changes in the Armed Forces will be carried out in 2003-2006 and will require deputy defense ministers, commanders-in-chief of the Armed Forces and commanders of military districts to "make appropriate competent decisions."
"Special attention should be paid to the recruitment of troops (forces) by military personnel under a contract, to ensure the timely supply of VVST (weapons, military and special equipment - "Gazeta.Ru") and other material resources to associations, formations and military units, to increase the number of polygons in military districts and on the territories of new subjects of the Russian Federation, to organize their training to ensure the practical actions of troops," he said.
In addition, according to him, it is necessary to increase the volume of training specialists in the Armed Forces training centers due to the increased need for troops by increasing the capacity of existing training centers and creating new ones. Also, he noted, it is necessary to "determine the volume of training of cadets and trainees in the universities of the Ministry of Defense."
Kremlin's Explanation
The situation with major changes in the Russian army was commented to journalists by the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov. According to him, this need is caused by the actions of Western countries.
"This is due to the war that the countries of the collective West are waging, a proxy war that includes elements of indirect participation in hostilities, and elements of economic war, financial war, legal war, going beyond the legal field, and so on. These measures are related to this. The security of our country must certainly be ensured, and in this case the Ministry of Defense is fulfilling its role," Peskov said.
Peskov also told where rumors are spreading about the beginning of a new wave of partial mobilization.
"She is being artificially exploited there from abroad and from within the country. I suggest that you remember all the time the relevant statements made by the President (Vladimir) Putin on this score," he said.
Last week, Peskov reported that the Russian authorities are not preparing to resume mobilization activities.
December offers
On December 21, 2022, Shoigu, at the military board of the Ministry of Defense with the participation of the president, proposed to gradually increase the age of conscription of citizens into the army from 18 to 21 years, and the age limit to 30 years. He also proposed to provide an opportunity for citizens to enter the service under a contract at will from the first day of joining the army. Shoigu did not inform about the timing of the approval of innovations. Later, Peskov said that Putin conceptually supported the proposal of the Minister of Defense.
In this regard, the head of the State Duma Committee on Defense, Andrei Kartapolov, said in a conversation with RBC that the mixed version of conscription before the transition to the new age standards is one of the options, but the final decision is for the Ministry of Defense.
Earlier, in an interview with the Parliamentary Newspaper, he said that the transition to the new system could begin in the spring of 2023, and for the first time citizens from 18 to 30 years old will be called up.
Also at the board meeting on December 21, Shoigu proposed the creation of the Moscow and Leningrad military districts in connection with "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." In this regard, he also proposed to form three motorized rifle divisions, including as part of combined arms associations in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions and to create an army corps in Karelia. At the same time, he announced the need to reorganize seven motorized rifle brigades into motorized rifle divisions in the ZVO, CVO, VVO and SF, and to form two DSHD in the Airborne Forces.
Mikhail Rodionov
