Central Military District being formed in Yekaterinburg

DATELINE: YEKATERINBURG Aug 24

The personnel departments of the Volga-Urals Military District are currently shaping the control structures of the Joint Strategic Command (the Central Military District) to be headquartered in Yekaterinburg.

“Attestation commissions are selecting officers who will receive appointments,” Volga-Urals Military District spokesman Lt. Col. Igor Gorbul told Interfax-AVN.

“The most professional, responsible and disciplined officers will be selected,” he said.

The Central Military District is being formed as a merger of the Volga-Urals Military District and units of the Siberian Military District.

“The Joint Strategic Command’s acting commander Lt. Gen. Vladimir Chirkin said that all officers of the Siberian Military District who comply with the requirements and want to continue their services will receive appointments,” Gorbul said.

Additionally, several dozen officers will be required to form the Central Military District’s services, he said.

Source: Interfax-AVN

New combined arms army being formed in Chita

DATELINE: CHITA Aug 24

A combined arms army is being formed in Chita on the basis of the Siberian Military District (SibVO), SibVO spokesman Lt. Col. Igor Muginov told Interfax-AVN.

“Maj. Gen. Alexander Romanchuk will be the army’s acting commander,” he said.

The army’s control structures and headquarters are being formed alongside formations and units subordinated to the army. The army will be comprised of brigades and military units, deployed in the Transbaikal Territory.

The control bodies of the Siberian Military District will be disbanded by December 1 2010, sources in the district headquarters told Interfax-AVN. The new army will be subordinated to Joint Strategic Command Vostok, being established on the basis of the Far East Military District.

The brigades and military units deployed in Siberia and currently subordinated to the Siberia Military District will be switched to Joint Strategic Command Center (based in Yekaterinburg), the headquarters said.

Alexander Romanchuk was born on April 15, 1959, in Luhansk. He graduated from the Baku higher combined arms command school in 1980, from the Armor and Tank Troops Academy in 1989 and the General Staff Military Academy in 2008. He worked his way up from a tank platoon commander to commander of a tank division. He has served in the Trans-Baikal and Siberian military districts for many years. He was appointed head of the staff and first deputy commander of the army located in Novosibirsk in July 2009.

Source: Interfax-AVN

Russian MIC sees 12% growth in H1 2010

DATELINE: MOSCOW Aug 26

Russia’s defense industry increased production by almost 12% in January-June 2010, the Industry and Trade Ministry said in a report received by Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.

“Plants manufacturing conventional armaments, ammunition, chemical warfare agents, radio-electronic items, and missiles increased the output of civilian products,” the ministry said.

Meanwhile, civilian output of aircraft and shipbuilding plants decreased, the ministry said.

Aircraft builders decreased output by 5.8%, the ministry said. In all, Russia built 63 helicopters, including 35 for foreign clients (two Mil Mi-17, 25 Mil Mi-17-V5, six Mil Mi-171 and two Kamov Ka-32) and 28 for domestic clients (five Mil Mi-171, 21 Mil Mi-8AMT, one Mil Mi-8AMT1 and one Kamov Ka-226). Two Antonov An-148 light passenger jetliners were produced.

The output of aircraft engines rose by 68.6%, while the production of parts for missile engines and propulsion units of space rockets and spacecraft increased by 30%, and the production of parts for aircraft engines increased by 15.2%.

Civilian output of ammunition and specialized chemical plants grew by 12.1% as compared with January-June 2009, the ministry said.

Source: Interfax-AVN

State trials of BMD-4M IFV continue

DATELINE: MOSCOW Aug 17

A planned command post exercise by Russia’s 98th Airborne Division on August 23-28 will involve tests of the BMD-4M infantry fighting vehicle, IFV, an Airborne Forces source said.

The exercise, to be coordinated by Airborne Forces Commander Lt.

Gen. Vladimir Shamanov, will be held near Ivanovo, Russia, the source told Interfax-AVN.

The exercise would involve the dropping of paratroops and weapons, including BMD-4M IFVs. “Immediately after landing, the crews of the fighting vehicles will start carrying out a combat task in an unknown locality behind a supposed enemy,” the source said.

The BMD-4M, would be put in service in the Airborne Forces if it passes the tests, according to the source.

The BMD-4M which is made by Kurganmashzavod, at the Volgograd Tractor Plant and other manufacturing facilities of the Tractor Plants firm.

The BMD-4M has a crew of seven, five of whom are paratroops.

Its diesel engine enables it to reach maximum speeds of 70 kilometers per hour on land and 10 kilometers per hour on water. It can travel for up to 500 kilometers without refueling.

It is armed with a 30-millimeter 2A42 automatic cannon, a 100-millimeter PTUR 9M113 Konkurs cannon, a PTUR Arkan cannon, an AG-17 grenade launcher, and two machineguns – a 7.62-millimeter PTK and a 5.45-millimeter RPKS-74.

Source: Interfax-AVN

Zelin comments on new SAM systems — says nothing new

DATELINE: MOSCOW Aug 16

Russia is developing radically new air defense systems Vityaz and S-500 and aircraft capable of operating in outer space, Russian Air Force Commander Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin said on Saturday.

“In fact a new system with new weapons is being developed – this is a system called Vityaz,” Zelin said on Echo Moskvy radio.

Compared to the S-300 system, Vityaz has a significantly larger combat ammunition load and requires a shorter time to get it operational, Zelin said.

S-400 air defense missile systems will be supplied to air defense forces protecting the central industrial region of Russia and Moscow, he said.

Russia is also developing the S-500 system, which will serve not only as an air defense but also a missile defense system. “This weapon will enter the Air Force’s inventory by 2020,” he said.

Asked whether Russia is working on constructing planes capable of operating in outer space, Zelin replied, “Naturally, it is.”

Such projects are being pursued in other countries as well, Zelin said. “We are also doing this. We cannot trail along at the back. There are projects, there is understanding as to how to do this, and there are technical solutions,” he said.

Source: Interfax-AVN

Chirkin bullish on reforms to Russian C&C

DATELINE: MOSCOW Aug 10

The work being done to create a new control system in the armed forces is motivated by Russia’s determination to counter possible threats to its own security, as well as to its allies, with due account taken of the present day situation, Lt. Gen. Vladimir Chirkin, acting troops commander of the Joint Strategic Command “Center”, told journalists.

“Russia’s national security strategy implies that the state may get confronted with real and potential threats. A new system of control is being formed to enable the state, in the new international situation, to counter possible threats to its own and its allies’ security independently, and to attain its strategic goals,” he said.

Reforming the control system at all levels is the backbone of the military reform, he also said.

On the future of officers, whose positions will be cut following the disbandment of the Siberian Military District, he said that, “officers who comply with requirements and who want to continue their service will receive appointments.”

An additional several hundred officer positions will be available at the Joint Strategic Commands in Yekaterinburg and Khabarovsk.

“Territories and the strength of the troops are increasing. Therefore, military professionals, the Siberian Military District has many, will be in demand,” Chirkin said.

Officers and civilian personnel will also be in demand in Chita, where a combined-arms army will be formed, and also in the Transbaikal Territory, where several more formations and units, organic with the joint command, will appear.

A decree signed by President Dmitry Medvedev states that the armed forces are switching to a new control system from December 1, 2010, with four joint strategic commands appearing instead of the current six military districts.

Joint Command “West”, headquartered in St.Petersburg, will be formed from the Moscow and Leningrad military districts. It will also encompass the Northern and Baltic fleets.

Joint Command “South” will include the North Caucasus Military District, the Black Sea Feet and the Caspian flotilla. It will be headquartered in Rostov-on-Don.

Joint Command “Center” to be headquartered in Yekaterinburg, will take in the Volga-Urals Military District and the western part of the Siberian Military District, up to Lake Baikal.

Lastly, Joint Command “East”, to be headquartered in Khabarovsk, will comprise the Far East Military District, the eastern sector of the Siberian Military District and the Pacific Fleet.

Source: Interfax-AVN

S-300′s in Abkhazia are old news says Kremlin

DATELINE: MOSCOW Aug 13

Russia has not deployed new S-300 surface-to-air missiles in Abkhazia, a Kremlin source told Interfax.

These systems were delivered to Abkhazia two years ago and have remained there since then, he said.

“All our partners were informed about that in due time,” the source said.

The S-300 missile system has been slightly relocated, which, he said, “is not in violation of the agreements.”

Earlier this week, Russia announced that it had deployed missiles in the republic to defend the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Tbilisi responded by saying the move was of concern not only to Georgia but also NATO.

Source: Interfax-AVN

Iskander testing suspended due to fire hazard

DATELINE: MOSCOW Aug 10

The testing of Iskander tactical missile systems and other weapons, being developed by the Kolomna Machine- Building Design Bureau, KBM, have been suspended due to the fire threat near Kolomna, KBM General Director and General Designer Valery Kashin told Interfax-AVN “The moment dry weather set in we suspended testing. Naturally, we cannot carry on now due to the fire hazard,” Kashin said.

“The situation is absolutely stable on the territory controlled by the KBM,” he said. “Everything has been put out, but there are smoldering peat bogs which we continue filling with water,” he said.

Source: Interfax-AVN

Reform almost halves number of officer positions in Airborne Troops

DATELINE: MOSCOW Aug 2

The number of officers’ positions has been almost halved in the Airborne Troops since the work to form the “new look” armed forces began.

“The number of officers’ positions has been cut by 42%, which unfortunately is reflected on the quality of training,” Airborne Troops Commander Lt. Gen. Vladimir Shamanov told Interfax-AVN.

Shamanov acknowledged that the young officers’ training level “leaves much to be desired over problems with training aids and equipment,” he said.

Asked whether the Airborne Troops will undergo change in connection with the formation of joint strategic commands, the general said, “The decision has been made to save the Airborne Troops’ as a separate branch, subordinated to the commander-in-chief for the purpose of further strengthening the land groupings.”

Source: Interfax-AVN

Seven generals, over 260 officers convicted in 2010

DATELINE: MOSCOW July 27

Seven generals and more than 260 officers were convicted of various crimes in the first half of 2010, Russia’s Chief Military Prosecutor Sergei Fridinsky said.

“The rate of misappropriations, embezzlement and abuse of power has increased. Two hundred and seventy officers were convicted for such crimes, including seven generals,” Fridinsky said at a meeting of senior officials of the Main Military Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday.

Fridinsky also spoke about measures to combat corruption.

“Corruption cases increased by almost 26% in the first six months of 2010,” the Main Military Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.

Source: Interfax-AVN

So while overall crime in the ranks appears to be down the number of corruption cases is actually through the roof this year. This seems to be in line with other reports showing that throughout Russian society Medvedev’s reforms seemingly have triggered an increase in bribe taking. To quote The Moscow Times piece:

The average bribe has nearly doubled from 23,000 rubles ($760) last year to 40,000 rubles ($1,320) in the first six months of 2010, the Interior Ministry said Tuesday.

Bribes have become more expensive because those engaged in the widespread practice are rejecting small bribes as too risky amid a Kremlin-led fight against corruption, the ministry said.

“The authorities are fighting corruption, and bribery has become more dangerous,” said Albert Istomin, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry’s department for fighting economic crimes, which released the new bribe figures.

“Therefore, people are not ready to take the risk for a small sum,” he said by telephone.

The army mirrors the society it serves so this is to be expected as officials become more desperate to cash-in one more time in the face of coming reforms.