Who carries out reforms in the army. Presentation on the topic "reform of the Russian armed forces"

" After the reorganization, the number of military districts was reduced to four:

• Western Military District - includes the Moscow and Leningrad military districts, the Baltic and Northern fleets
• Southern Military District - includes the North Caucasus Military District, 4th Air Force and Air Defense Command, Black Sea Fleet and Caspian Flotilla
• Central Military District - includes the Volga-Ural and western part of the Siberian Military District
• Eastern Military District - includes the Far Eastern and Transbaikal part of the Siberian Military District, Pacific Fleet

After the military administrative reform all troops in the military district are subordinate to one commander and he is personally responsible for security in the region. Unification under the single leadership of the commander of the military district combined arms armies, fleets, air force and air defense commands made it possible to qualitatively increase the combat capabilities of new military districts by reducing reaction time in crisis situations and increasing their total strike power. In strategic directions, self-sufficient interspecific groupings of troops (forces) have been created, united under a single command, the basis of which is formations and military units of constant readiness, capable of as soon as possible bring yourself to the highest degree of combat readiness and complete the tasks as intended. After the reorganization, the combat potential of the Western Military District increased 13 times compared to the Leningrad Military District, which indicates the state’s approaches to improvement that were planned in advance and gradually implemented Armed Forces.

During the administrative reform, it was planned to reduce the number of military units according to the following table:

During the transformation, it was planned to disband the 2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Taman Division, 4th Guards Tank Kantemirovskaya Division, 106th Guards Airborne Division and 98th Guards Airborne Svirskaya Division. The decision to disband the 106th Guards Airborne Division was later canceled; the decision to disband the 98th Guards Airborne Division was never made.

Reduction in numbers

An essential part of the reform was the reduction in the number of armed forces, which in 2008 was about 1.2 million people. Most of the reductions occurred among officers: from more than 300 thousand to 150 thousand people.

Category of military personnel	On 01.09 .	On 01.12 .	On 01.01 .	Percentage change in numbers
General	1107	780	866	−22 %
Colonel	15365		3114	−80 %
Lieutenant colonel	19300		7500	−61 %
Major	99550		30000	−70 %
Captain	90000		40000	−56 %
Senior Lieutenant	30000		35000	+17 %
Lieutenant	20000		26000	+30 %
Total officers	365000		142000	−61 %
Ensign	90000	0	0	−100 %
Midshipman	50000	0	0	−100 %

According to Russian law, dismissed military personnel must be provided with housing. In 2009, there were more than 120 thousand people in need of living space in the Armed Forces. According to the Ministry of Defense plan, the elimination of the waiting list and the transition to providing military personnel with housing in the year they are recognized as needing it will occur by 2013. As of June 2011, about 40 thousand families need housing.

According to the directive of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces of November 22 No. 314/3382, the number of military personnel educational work should be reduced from 17,490 people to 4,916, that is, by 71%.

Reductions in the Russian Armed Forces occurred faster than planned. In 2011, the number of officers in the Russian army is 150 thousand. As a result, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev set the task of returning about 70 thousand officers to the Armed Forces.

Military medicine

Planned to reduce:

• State Institute advanced training for doctors of the Russian Ministry of Defense
• 66 military hospitals
• 83 military clinics
• 17 infirmaries
• 5 military sanatoriums and rest houses
• 64 storage bases for military equipment and property.

In 2010-2011, the military medical faculties at the Samara, Saratov and Tomsk medical institutes will be disbanded.

The number of medical officers is planned to be reduced from 7967 to 2200 people.

Military universities

It is planned to form 10 scientific centers out of 15 military academies, 46 military institutes and schools and four military universities. In particular, it is planned to disband the Academy of Aerospace Defense named after G. K. Zhukov

In an interview with journalists, Minister of Defense Anatoly Serdyukov said: “On the basis of 65 universities, scientific centers will be created, where the educational process and scientific activity. A completely new technical base will be created in the new scientific centers.”

Rearmament

Salary reform

From January 1, 2012, the pay of military personnel will be increased by 2.5-3 times, and military pensions will increase by 1.5-1.7 times. On November 7, 2011, President Dmitry Medvedev signed the Law “On monetary allowances for military personnel and providing them with individual payments.” In accordance with the law, the system for calculating monetary allowances has been changed: previously existing additional payments and allowances are canceled and new ones are introduced. The monetary allowance of a soldier undergoing military service upon conscription consists of a salary for a military position and additional payments.

The following additional payments are established for a soldier undergoing military service upon conscription:

• monthly bonus for working with information constituting state secrets.

The following additional payments are established for a soldier performing military service under a contract:

• monthly bonus for long service;
• monthly bonus for class qualifications ( qualification category, qualification class);
• monthly bonus for working with information constituting state secrets;
• monthly supplement for special conditions military service;
• monthly bonus for performing tasks directly related to the risk to life and health in peacetime;
• monthly bonus for special achievements in service;
• bonus for conscientious and effective performance of official duties;
• annual financial assistance;
• increasing coefficients or allowances for military personnel serving in military formations stationed outside the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as military personnel performing tasks in a state of emergency, during armed conflicts, participating in counter-terrorism operations and ensuring law and order and public safety in certain areas territories of the Russian Federation;
• increasing coefficients or allowances for military personnel performing military service under a contract in the Far North and equivalent areas, as well as in other areas with unfavorable climatic or environmental conditions, including remote areas, high mountain areas, desert and waterless areas .

Specific salary amounts are established by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of December 5, 2011 No. 992 “On establishing salaries for military personnel serving under contract”, the amounts of additional payments are established by Federal Law of November 7, 2011 No. 306-FZ “On monetary allowances” military personnel and providing them with individual payments."

A military secret

Support

Chairman of the Public Council Commission under the Russian Ministry of Defense Vitaly Shlykov believes that military reform is long overdue and the current Russian army is ineffective. “Events in Georgia have shown: Russia needs a capable army now, and it cannot delay this.”

...By 2016, the size of the Armed Forces should be no more than 1 million military personnel. This is the decision of the highest political leadership countries. The task of the Ministry of Defense is to create, within the framework of this number and economic capabilities of the state, the most combat-ready army. All other proposals that ignore the dependence of the future appearance of the Armed Forces on economic realities are demagoguery and political populism...

…alternatives to downsizing officer corps, which will make it possible to create truly attractive conditions of service for the remaining officers, simply does not exist...

... the forms and methods of armed struggle, which have radically changed since the Second World War, will make it possible, without compromising the defense capability of the state, to abandon the armada of framed units and formations ... we need to create a core of a relatively compact group of no more than 200 thousand, but with the highest combat potential rapid response. That is, mobile, superbly trained and constantly ready for combat use in any theater of military operations.

Criticism

On November 1, 2008, deputies of the State Duma from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation signed an open letter to the President of Russia demanding that he abandon the concept of reform and bring the issue of further military development to public discussion. . In particular, Viktor Ilyukhin stated:

We believe that the decision was made hastily, without taking into account the vast territory of the country and the fact that we are surrounded by NATO military bases.

Vice-President of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems Konstantin Sivkov:

I believe that this set of reforms, in the context of modern threats to Russia, is simply criminal.

• about 2 million Russian citizens will be deprived of the opportunity to exercise their right to receive medical care in military medical institutions;
• 101 military hospitals and 75 military clinics will lose their status legal entity, which will lead to termination of contracts with compulsory health insurance and voluntary health insurance and entail financial losses;
• one gets the impression of a systematic destruction of the army's medical service.

...after this reform we will find ourselves in the position of people who actually found themselves in the position of two pigs Nif-Nif and Nuf-Nuf, when one hid in a straw house, and the second hid in a house made of branches. That is, if the wind blows, there will be nothing left of it. The current reform amazes experts with its ill-conceivedness, its total destructiveness, and so far it only leads to the degradation of the army.

...according to the new reform, the entire mobilization readiness of the state, the entire mobilization system will actually be destroyed, and we will have to fight exclusively with the army that we have. Although any big war shows that not a single state has finished a serious, big war with the army that it had before the war.

...there is no need to turn to the experience of those countries that have not fought seriously for a long time, just as there is no need to learn from those states that want to conquer us!

Deputy Director of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis Alexander Khramchikhin believes that the Ground Forces formed during the reform process are not enough to repel serious military threats.

Results of the reform

Results of the reform at the end of 2010:

• The first stage of creating a new look for the Armed Forces has been completed. The Russian army has acquired a new structure, a new system of military planning. The systems for training and supporting troops have been significantly updated;
• A new three-level structure for the operational command and control of troops and fleets has been created - military district, operational command, brigade. Six military districts were reorganized into four - Western, Southern, Eastern and Central. On their basis, operational-strategic commands were created (USC "West", USC "South", USC "Vostok" and USC "Center"). These are powerful inter-service groupings of troops in key strategic directions: south, west, center and east, respectively. The unification of forces and assets under a single command increased the combat capabilities and potential of the army;
• A new combat structure of the Armed Forces has been created with an established strength of 1 million military personnel. In 2010, the President of the Russian Federation approved the proposals of the Ministry of Defense to maintain 220 thousand officer positions in the Armed Forces and 425 thousand military personnel serving under contract. The share of contract military personnel is planned to increase as attractive conditions for military service are created.

In the fall of 2012, it became clear that the Moscow Region was mired in corruption. Serdyukov was dismissed from his position. Medvedev stood up for him as “a good minister.” However, independent sources do not rule out “a close business connection between Serdyukov and Medvedev.”

Information

A distinctive feature of the process of preparation and implementation of the reform is almost complete absence information about its purpose and objectives. With the exception of a single publication on October 15, 2008 in the Rossiyskaya Gazeta containing initial information about the reform, no articles about the upcoming reforms appeared in any of the official publications of the Ministry of Defense. The official website of the Ministry of Defense in the section “On the new look of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation” does not provide any detailed information regarding the reform process.

Former commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force Pyotr Deinekin said in his interview with the Izvestia newspaper:

I don’t understand the meaning and goals of the current army reform. What is happening in the army is happening secretly, without explanation to the public or military experts. And this can have very unpleasant consequences.

Until the leadership of the Ministry of Defense begins an open and honest dialogue with civil society, scandals like Saturday's will unfortunately continue.

The priority task is to increase wages in 2012. Medvedev on increasing salaries for military personnel On the eve of the Budget Address to the Federal Assembly, the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev at the next meeting especially noted that in a number of tasks requiring urgent solutions, issues directly related to military personnel. We quote: “Tomorrow we have a budget message, therefore, today we will need to put an end to a number of issues. Considerable funds, in addition to those stated, were requested for reforming the military pay system in 2012; it is obvious that this, in general, is a priority task.”

Notes

1. RIA News
2. http://vz.ru/politics/2010/10/22/441797.html
3. Priorities for the development of the Armed Forces
4. Russian newspaper Federal issue No. 4772 dated October 15, 2008
5. The specified data needs clarification: either not all airborne units at that time are given, or (subject to the calculation of airborne divisions and brigades) they are given erroneously
6. “The banners go to the museum, the standard bearers go to civilian life,” Independent Military Review dated October 31, 2008
7. Lenta.ru
8. Victor Baranets What awaits the Russian army after military reform (Russian). KP (02.12.2008). Archived
9. Five thousand general positions have been cut in the Russian army (Russian). Interfax (December 21, 2009). Retrieved December 21, 2009.
10. Roman Osharov Army of Lieutenants (Russian). Business newspaper "Vzglyad". "VIEW.RU" (12/21/2009). Archived from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
11. Andrey Fedorov Then we will fight (Russian). Lenta.Ru (01/21/2009). Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
12. War Council
13. News from December 1, 2008
14. The officers are returning
15. Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of December 29, 2008 N 1878ss “On some issues of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation”
16. “They will pay for the reduction of the army with command personnel,” Independent Military Review, October 17, 2008
17. Lenta.ru
18. RIA News
19. There will be new weapons! "Red Star" October 2, 2008.
20. The war showed: the Russian army is deteriorating, the supply of Soviet weapons is completely exhausted NEWSru October 2, 2008.

Photo: euromag.ru

Topics of the day

Seven years have passed since the beginning of the Serdyukov-Makarov military reform: this year the second stage of reforms ends. There are still five years ahead. Sankt-Peterburg.ru talks about what has already been done to reform the Armed Forces, what remains to be done and what the army of the future is like.

In short: the essence of the reform

Russia has experienced many military reforms. The most important for us today are those that were adopted under Peter the Great and after him: Petrovskaya, Potemkinskaya, Milyutinskaya, Frunzenskaya and others. The current transformations in the military sphere are called the “reform of Anatoly Serdyukov,” who was the country’s Minister of Defense from 2007 to 2012, but the changes that have already happened and are coming are associated not only with his name. Serdyukov’s authorship actually belongs to the ideas about a new look at military spending, about the humanization of military service, and about outsourcing consumer services for military personnel. However, changes in the structure of the Armed Forces were initiated by the ex-chiefs of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces: Nikolai Makarov and Yuri Baluevsky. Simply put, if Serdyukov was involved in the socio-economic side of the matter, then the “military” section of the reform was developed by Makarov, and before him by Baluevsky.




Nikolai Makarov (left) replaced Yuri Baluevsky in the General Staff

photo: svoboda.org

Serdyukov announced the start of a new military reform on October 14, 2008 at a meeting of the board of his department. 19.2 trillion rubles were allocated for the implementation of the new State Armament Program. Reform affects everything functional bases The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation: the number of personnel, the officer training system, the structure of the central command, and also provides for the gradual equipping of the army with modern military equipment. Conventionally, the reform was divided into three stages. The first (2008-2011) announced the optimization of the number of personnel and management personnel, as well as the reform of military education. In the second (2012-2015) - increasing wages, providing housing, professional retraining and advanced training of military personnel. The third (2016-2020), the most expensive, involves rearmament.

The conceptual basis of the reform is research and development work, for the active development of which about 2 trillion rubles were allocated. Fundamental Goal reform is to move from the Soviet system to a more modern structure of the Armed Forces. That is, a mass and mobilization army adapted for a global war (for example, with NATO) should be replaced by a more compact army, adequate to the current economic, social and territorial capabilities of the country and adapted to local regional conflicts, of constant readiness.

Of course, the matter will not be limited to scientific research. An equally priority area was the improvement of strategic nuclear weapons. In particular, the development of a ground-based missile force and the modernization of strategic aviation - Tu-95 and Tu-160 (the same amount of funds were allocated for these purposes as for scientific research - 2 trillion rubles) and the introduction of a heavy liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile to replace outdated ICBMs RS-18 and RS-20 and a promising long-range aviation complex.

"First Swallows"

The first stage plan (2008-2011), announced by Serdyukov in October 2008, implied a reduction in the size of the Russian Armed Forces to one million military personnel by 2012. At the same time, the officer corps should be optimized to 150 thousand people, which entailed a significant reduction: in 2008 it amounted to 355 thousand officer positions. In the Russian Air Force from 2009 to 2012 it was planned to eliminate all aviation divisions and regiments, forming 55 air bases on their basis, and also reducing over 50 thousand officer positions. The number of units of the Russian Navy was to be reduced from 240 to 123. The officer corps of the fleet was planned to be reduced by 2-2.5 times. And finally, the reorganization of the military education system involved the creation of 10 system-forming universities - three military educational and scientific centers, six academies and one university - on the basis of the already existing 65 military educational institutions. What of the plans was implemented and how qualitative were the changes?

Introduction of operational-strategic commands

Before Serdyukov and Makarov, as discussed above, the foundations for reform had already been laid by Baluevsky. Thus, he came up with the idea of ​​​​creating operational-strategic commands. USCs are useful in that they unite power groups in a given territory (the exception is the Strategic Nuclear Forces) and make it possible to create a unified system of command and control, the same in conditions of both peace and war. In other words, if they start fighting, you won’t have to spend time rebuilding the system: it will already be ready for use.

In the 1970-80s, the USC also existed in the USSR: then they were formed to control troops in foreign theaters of military operations and were liquidated after the collapse of the organization Warsaw Pact and the collapse of the USSR. From that moment on, troops on the territory of the Russian Federation began to be controlled through a system of military districts, founded by Dmitry Milyutin, Minister of Defense Russian Empire in 1861-1881. General Baluevsky began the introduction of the USC, Makarov continued his work and eliminated the system of districts. Today there are four USCs: “West” (general headquarters in St. Petersburg), “East” (Khabarovsk), “Center” (Ekaterinburg) and “South” (Rostov-on-Don). Today, all forces are subordinate to the USC general purpose, including air force/air defense and navy units. At the same time, the military districts became not six, but four.

Transfer of the Ground Forces to a brigade structure

Another change, initiated by Baluev and brought to mind by Makarov, was the liquidation of divisions and the transfer of the Ground Forces to the structure of brigades, which became mobile components groups under the control of the operational command - army headquarters. The existing divisions were transformed into three types of brigades of 5-6.5 thousand people: “heavy”, “medium”, “light”. The “heavy” ones include tanks and most motorized rifle brigades. They are distinguished by increased impact force and survivability. “Medium” brigades are equipped with armored personnel carriers and are designed to conduct combat operations in specific conditions, both urban and natural, for example, in mountainous or wooded areas. “Light” brigades are distinguished by high maneuverability: they are equipped with appropriate vehicles.

"Unloading" of managers

The changes also affected the management corps. Firstly, commanders military units and permanent readiness formations no longer resolve economic issues, which allowed them to concentrate on their immediate work, and the responsibilities for providing rear services fell on the heads of training centers and universities.

Secondly, the General Staff has become a full-fledged strategic planning body, which organizes and manages the Armed Forces together with the Ministry of Defense.

Thirdly, within the Ministry of Defense, which for a long time remained the main command authority, two individual directions. The “military” branch of the Ministry of Defense, headed by the General Staff, deals exclusively with issues of combat training of the Armed Forces and command and control of troops. The “civilian” branch, which employs the relevant specialized departments, resolves all financial, housing, medical, and economic issues that arise in the rear, including the purchase of military equipment. Many experts believe that this measure helps reduce corruption in arms procurement and make the Ministry of Defense's cash management transparent.

New troop basing system

It involves the formation of 184 military camps, which will be able to accommodate Armed Forces personnel with a total number of more than 700 thousand people. To optimize the Armed Forces' aviation basing system, the 31 air force bases of the Air Force were reduced to 8. Army aviation bases were created to increase the mobility and firepower of the troops.




photo: arms-expo.ru

Formation of officer and sergeant corps

The reduction of the army and its recruitment is the most painful point in the entire reform. In particular, the reduction of the officer corps. If in 2008 the number of officers (these are generals, colonels, lieutenant colonels, majors, captains, senior lieutenants and lieutenants) was 365 thousand people, then in 2012 there were only 142 thousand left. The positions of warrant officer and midshipman were abolished. However, in the process of changes, the approach had to be adjusted: the Ministry of Defense decided to “rewind” and leave 220 thousand officers in the Armed Forces. The formal explanation for this change was the creation of the Aerospace Defense Forces as a separate structure, however, according to some experts, the main reason is that the 142,000-strong officer corps was ultimately considered insufficient to manage the Armed Forces. As a result, by decree of Dmitry Medvedev, the missing 80 thousand were returned to the Armed Forces.

Similar “throwing” accompanied the decision of the Ministry of Defense regarding the transfer of the army to a completely contract service. At first, the department increased the share of contract soldiers and rapidly reduced the number of conscripts. Then it again reduced the number of contract soldiers, explaining its actions by difficulties caused by the economic crisis. Finally, in 2011, the emphasis was again placed on “personnel officers” - they should now form the basis of the army.

This uncertainty, in turn, jeopardized the sergeant corps. After reforming the officer corps and eliminating the positions of warrant officers and midshipmen, it was decided that they should be replaced by sergeants and foremen. But in practice, it turned out that there is no place to train sergeants yet, and a sergeant’s salary is so low that it is almost impossible to collect the required number of employees. As a result, at the beginning of 2013, the positions of warrant officers were returned. Today, with an increase in pay and the gradual improvement of sergeant schools, the question of the formation sergeant corps It’s no longer so acute.

Reorganization of the military education system

In order for the new system to work without interruption, there was a need to increase vocational training military personnel, new programs for their training and the creation modern network military educational institutions. On September 1, 2011, military educational institutions of the Ministry of Defense began training officers with higher military operational-tactical training and higher military operational-strategic training under additional professional education programs.




photo: unn.ru

The Ministry of Defense began to apply unified approaches to training in military and civilian schools: primary-level officers began to be trained under specialist training programs, and at branch academies and the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - under additional professional education programs. Professional sergeants are now trained in training connections and military units, in sergeant schools and in higher educational institutions Ministry of Defense for secondary vocational education programs. In 2009, such training was launched in six universities of the Russian Ministry of Defense, including the Sergeant Training Center (Ryazan), in 2010 - in 19 universities, in 2011 - in 24.

Second stage: humanization of the army

Changes in the army's infrastructure became the main task of the second stage of reforms (2011-2015). In recent years it has been conducted under the auspices of the program “ Effective army» - a set of solutions in all areas of the Armed Forces. It made it possible to increase the pay of military personnel and launch targeted provision of housing for them. In addition, the program involves the construction of standard headquarters, barracks, gyms and canteens. This means that by the end of the reform, all military units will be equipped with the same infrastructure that works efficiently and smoothly.

Thus, by the beginning of the new decade, a unified system of logistics support for troops had been formed - unified logistics centers managing all types of supplies and transportation throughout the military district. At the same time, a transition began to servicing technical parks at enterprises that repair weapons and military equipment. Most importantly, many functions to provide infrastructure for the troops were taken over by civilian enterprises. Service maintenance and repair of equipment, meals for personnel, bath and laundry services, cargo transportation, refueling of Navy ships with fuel and motor oils, and comprehensive airfield operational services are now carried out on an outsourcing basis. aircraft, refueling of vehicles through a network of gas stations, operation of municipal infrastructure.

Apartments

Due to dramatic changes in the size of the officer corps, the problem of housing shortages has worsened. The fact is that every officer who has served for more than 10 years and left service (not for discreditable reasons) has the right to an apartment at his chosen place of residence. Almost 170 thousand officers were laid off, and most of them needed housing for their families. A queue formed, but by the end of 2010 it had decreased to 120 thousand people, and in 2011 - to 63.8 thousand people. If we consider that in 2013, 21 thousand military personnel received official housing, and in 2014 - 47 thousand, then we can safely say that all officers who left the service received apartments. Most importantly, sq. meters began to provide those who are still in the service: at the beginning of 2015, almost 4 thousand Russian military personnel received housing. The housing issue for the military turned out to be completely solvable, and the current situation is noticeably different from what it was in the late 2000s.

Nutrition

Until 2010, the food system rested on the shoulders of the servicemen themselves, and in the literal sense: hot meals were prepared by the soldiers themselves, conscripts went through cook school, soldiers peeled potatoes in the kitchen. Another achievement of the military reform is that food was transferred to civilian companies, after which, according to reviews from servicemen, the quality of food increased sharply, and the soldiers were finally able to engage in their immediate duties - military service. Outsourcing companies provide the process from start to finish: delivery, delivery, storage, preparation, distribution, service according to standards. Civil services also began to maintain military camps, clean barracks and surrounding areas, sew uniforms, organize military transportation and repair of equipment and weapons.




photo: voenternet.ru

The outsourcing system was adopted from the armies of NATO countries. Since the 1990s, it has operated in the armies of the USA, Canada, Great Britain, France, Italy, and Bulgaria. Its introduction was associated with a sharp reduction in military budgets. The pioneers in outsourcing were countries where the private sector of the economy predominated - the USA, England, Australia. Outsourcing abroad has a very wide range organizational forms are usually public-private partnerships. Outsourcing came to Russia suddenly, and it should be introduced gradually: from simple projects (cleaning services and food supplies) to large and complex ones ( technical support military equipment).

Monetary allowance

The increase in pay is also associated with the intensification of the “Effective Army” program. Under this program, an automated system for recording material assets was introduced, the development of military medicine, and the creation of a system for recording personal data of military personnel and civilian personnel were created. In particular, the amount of payments to military personnel is increasing: several years ago the average salary was 57.8 thousand rubles, and in 2014 it was already 62.1 thousand rubles. The pension of military personnel was indexed by 7.5% from October 1: now its average level is 21.5 thousand rubles.

In April 2015, the total budget of the Russian Ministry of Defense was fully agreed upon: it will amount to 3.6 trillion rubles. Expenditures on the army are primarily related to its re-equipment, which in turn guarantees investments in the military-industrial complex: guaranteed orders to military, metallurgical, chemical, electronic, textile and agricultural enterprises.

Elimination of hazing

The conditions for completing military service have changed dramatically over the past five years: in addition to shortening the term, the very essence has changed. Firstly, classic “hazing” has become a thing of the past as a format of hazing based on the “senior-junior” principle, which is reproduced with each call. The army still has problems with hazing based on physical superiority combined with insufficient moral principles individual soldiers, in fraternities, but there are prerequisites for them in civil life, the old “hazing” no longer exists in the army.

The principle of responding to soldiers' complaints has changed. If earlier cases They tried to hide hazing and its consequences, but now such a concealment can cost the commander who committed it more than the fact of hazing in the unit itself. Soldiers receiving the right to use mobile phone, and often the Internet (sometimes from the same phone), they began to inform relatives in much more detail about how they live and serve.

Mobilization and humanization as the basis of the army of the future

The main and tangible achievement of the first stage of the reform is increasing the combat readiness and mobility of the Armed Forces. High combat readiness presupposes a more advanced army structure, which allows you to act immediately after receiving an order, spending up to several hours on preparation. Moreover, complete units are ready for independent active actions and combat missions. It was the transfer of the army to the system of battalions and brigades that made it possible to increase mobility and combat readiness Armed forces. If we add to this the results of the second stage—fundamental changes in the army’s infrastructure—then the picture emerges more than encouraging. During the reforms, firstly, the conservatism of the system was broken, and secondly, the mobilization and humanization of troops was introduced - there are strongholds of the new army, and it is thanks to them that the rearmament that is yet to come is possible.

All news in the section

Main directions of reform

Structural changes

One of the main directions of the reform is the transition from a four-tier command system “military district” - “army” - “division” - “regiment” to a three-tier “military district” - “Operational command” - “brigade”. The number of military units is planned to be reduced according to the following table: Type of Armed Forces
and types of troops* 2008 2012 Degree of reduction
Ground troops 1890 172 -90 %
Air Force 340 180 -48%
Navy 240 123 -49%
Strategic Missile Forces* 12 8 -33%
Space Force* 7 6 -15%
Airborne troops* 6 5 -17%

During the transformation, it was planned to disband the 2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Taman Division, the 4th Guards Tank Kantemirovskaya Division, the 106th Guards Airborne Division and the 98th Guards Airborne Svirskaya Division. However, the decision regarding the 106th Guards Airborne Division was later reversed.

Reduction

An essential part of the reform will be a reduction in the size of the armed forces, which currently amounts to about 1.2 million people. Most of the reductions will be among officers: from more than 300 thousand to 150 thousand people.

Reduction degree:

General 1107 780 866 −22%
Colonel 15365 3114 −80%
Lieutenant Colonel 19300 7500 −61%
Major 99550 30000 −70%
Captain 90000 40000 −56%
Senior Lieutenant 30000 35000 +17%
Lieutenant 20000 26000 +30%
Total officers 365,000 142,000 −61%
Ensign 90000 0 0 −100%
Midshipman 50000 0 0 −100%

According to Russian law, dismissed military personnel must be provided with housing. There are now more than 130 thousand people in the armed forces who need housing.

Reductions in the Russian Armed Forces are proceeding faster than planned. According to Deputy Minister of Defense Nikolai Pankov: in next year no more than 127 thousand officers will remain in the Russian Armed Forces - 23 thousand less than previously announced.

By 2016, the size of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will be 1,884,829 units, including 1,000,000 military personnel.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, there are more than 5,000 officers in sergeant positions. (REN News, April 30, 2010)

Military medicine

It is planned to reduce the State Institute for Advanced Training of Doctors of the Russian Ministry of Defense, 66 military hospitals, 83 military clinics, 17 hospitals, five military sanatoriums and rest homes, 64 storage bases for military equipment and property. In 2010-2011, the military medical faculties at the Samara, Saratov and Tomsk medical institutes will be disbanded.

The number of medical officers is planned to be reduced from 7967 to 2200 people.

Military universities

It is planned to form 10 scientific centers out of 15 military academies, 46 military institutes and schools and four military universities. In particular, it is planned to disband the Academy of Aerospace Defense named after G. K. Zhukov

In an interview with journalists, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said:

Research centers will be created at 65 universities, where the educational process and scientific activities will be combined into a single unit. A completely new technical base will be created in new scientific centers

Armament

According to an unnamed source in the Russian Ministry of Defense, the number of tanks in the Ground Forces and coastal units of the Navy is planned to be reduced from 23,000 to 2,000 units.

Military educators

According to the Directive of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces of November 22 No. 314/3382, the number of military personnel of educational bodies should be reduced from 17,490 people to 4,916, that is, by 71%.

Rearmament

In the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper dated October 2, 2008, the head of armaments of the Russian Armed Forces - Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Colonel General Vladimir Popovkin, noted that the Russian Armed Forces had completely exhausted the stock of weapons and military equipment left over from the USSR, and therefore it is necessary speed up the equipping of aircraft with new ones, modern samples weapons.

On November 19, 2008, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Army General Nikolai Makarov, told reporters that in the next 3-5 years, weapons and equipment will be updated by a third in the Russian army, and by 2020 this will be done 100%.

At the beginning of 2010, in terms of the “new look”, hardware communications, in most cases, are of the 2nd category, but produced in 1986-89, as a result of which it is not combat-ready, requiring major repairs of both the hardware itself and the mobile base. Or it remains old, but plundered in the 90-98s, which the command of the units hides from the top leadership. This article lacks links to sources of information.
Information must be verifiable, otherwise it may be questioned and deleted.
You may edit this article to include links to authoritative sources.

A military secret

On November 11, 2008, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Army General Nikolai Makarov, signed a directive “On preventing the disclosure of information about the reform of the Russian Armed Forces.” The document prohibits the dissemination of information about the progress of reforms, emerging problems and sentiments in the troops. Chairman of the Commission of the Public Council under the Russian Ministry of Defense Vitaly Shlykov believes that military reform is long overdue and the current Russian army is not effective. Events in Georgia have shown: Russia needs a capable army now, and it cannot delay this.

Lieutenant General Vladimir Shamanov supports army reform

...By 2016, the size of the Armed Forces should be no more than 1 million military personnel. This is the decision of the country's top political leadership. The task of the Ministry of Defense is to create, within the framework of this number and economic capabilities of the state, the most combat-ready army. All other proposals that ignore the dependence of the future appearance of the Armed Forces on economic realities are demagoguery and political populism... ...an alternative to reducing the officer corps, which will create truly attractive conditions of service for the remaining officers, simply does not exist... ...forms and methods that have radically changed since the Second World War armed struggle will allow, without compromising the defense capability of the state, to abandon the armada of personnel units and formations... we need to create the core of a relatively compact, numbering no more than 200 thousand, but with the highest combat potential of a rapid reaction group. That is, mobile, superbly trained and constantly ready for combat use in any theater of military operations.

On November 1, deputies of the State Duma from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation signed an open letter to the President of Russia demanding that he abandon the concept of reform and bring the issue of further military development to public discussion. In particular, Viktor Ilyukhin stated:

We believe that the decision was made hastily, without taking into account the vast territory of the country and the fact that we are surrounded by NATO military bases.

Vice-President of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems Konstantin Sivkov:

I believe that this set of reforms, in the context of modern threats to Russia, is simply criminal.

On May 27, 2009, the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation held hearings on the problems of medical care for military personnel, persons discharged from military service and members of their families. Chairman of the Public Chamber Commission on Veterans, Military Personnel and Members of Their Families A. N. Kanshin and Chairman of the Public Chamber Commission on Health L. M. Roshal, as well as participants in the hearings, express doubts “about the thoughtfulness of the ongoing reform of the medical service of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation” and consider:
about 2 million Russian citizens will be deprived of the opportunity to exercise the right to receive medical care in military medical institutions;
101 military hospitals and 75 military clinics will lose the status of a legal entity, which will lead to the termination of contracts with compulsory medical insurance and voluntary health insurance and entail financial losses;
one gets the impression of a systematic destruction of the army's medical service.

Honorary Professor of the Military Academy of the East Kazakhstan region named after G. K. Zhukov I. V. Erokhin believes that the training of military space defense specialists outside the Military Academy of the East Kazakhstan region is a deep misconception and contradicts the “Concept of the East Kazakhstan region of the Russian Federation” approved by the president

...after this reform we will find ourselves in the position of people who actually found themselves in the position of the two pigs Nif-Nif and Nuf-Nuf, when one hid in a straw house, and the second hid in a house made of branches. That is, if the wind blows, there will be nothing left of it. The current reform amazes experts with its ill-conceivedness, its total destructiveness, and so far it only leads to the degradation of the army.

...according to the new reform, the entire mobilization readiness of the state, the entire mobilization system will actually be destroyed, and we will have to fight exclusively with the army that we have. Although any big war shows that not a single state has finished a serious, big war with the army that it had before the war.

Former Defense Minister P. Grachev believes:

...there is no need to turn to the experience of those countries that have not fought seriously for a long time, just as there is no need to learn from those states that want to conquer us!

Deputy Director of the Institute of Political and Military Analysis Alexander Khramchikhin believes that the Ground Forces formed during the reform process are not enough to repel serious military threats. A distinctive feature of the process of preparing and implementing the reform is the almost complete lack of information about its goals and objectives. With the exception of a single publication on October 15, 2008 in the Rossiyskaya Gazeta containing initial information about the reform, no articles about the upcoming reforms appeared in any of the official publications of the Ministry of Defense. The official website of the Ministry of Defense in the section “On the new look of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation” does not provide any detailed information regarding the reform process.

Former commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force Pyotr Deinekin in his interview with the Izvestia newspaper said:

I don’t understand the meaning and goals of the current army reform. What is happening in the army is happening secretly, without explanation to the public or military experts. And this can have very unpleasant consequences.

Military observer Viktor Litovkin believes:

Until the leadership of the Ministry of Defense begins an open and honest dialogue with civil society, scandals like Saturday’s, unfortunately, will continue.

Notes

Show compactly
RIA News
Russian newspaper Federal issue No. 4772 dated October 15, 2008
“The banners go to the museum, the standard bearers go to civilian life,” Nezavisimoe military review dated October 31, 2008
Lenta.ru
Victor Baranets What awaits the Russian army after military reform (Russian). KP (02.12.2008). Retrieved December 21, 2009.
Five thousand general positions have been cut in the Russian army (Russian). Interfax (December 21, 2009). Retrieved December 21, 2009.
1 2 Roman Osharov Army of Lieutenants (Russian). Business newspaper "Vzglyad". "VIEW.RU" (12/21/2009). Retrieved December 21, 2009.
Andrey Fedorov Then we’ll fight (Russian). Lenta.Ru (01/21/2009). Retrieved December 21, 2009.
Denis Telmanov The Ministry of Defense exceeds the plan for reducing officers (Russian). GZT.RU (11/25/2009). Retrieved December 21, 2009.
Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of December 29, 2008 N 1878ss “On some issues of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation”
“They will pay for the reduction of the army with command personnel,” Independent Military Review, October 17, 2008
Lenta.ru
RIA News
“The General Staff is changing its views on modern and future wars,” Independent Military Review, July 10, 2009
1 2 News of December 1, 2008
There will be new weapons! "Red Star" October 2, 2008.
The war showed: the Russian army is deteriorating, the supply of Soviet weapons is completely exhausted NEWSru October 2, 2008.
General Staff: in the next 3-5 years, the Russian army will be rearmed by a third, and by 2020 - by 100% NEWSru November 19, 2008.
Ivan Konovalov The restructuring of the army will be carried out without glasnost (Russian). Newspaper "Kommersant" (29.11.2008). Retrieved December 21, 2009.
Red Star from 02/11/2009
Website NEWSru.com
Website of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation

“Recommendations for hearings on the problems of medical care for military personnel, persons discharged from military service, and members of their families” on the website of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation
HBO dated November 21, 2008.
Lenta.Ru: Press conferences: Reform of the Russian army.
HBO dated March 30, 2009
"NVO" from October 16, 2009
1 2 Nezavisimaya Gazeta dated December 1, 2008
Links
Russian newspaper Federal issue No. 4772 dated October 15, 2008
“Military reform 2009-2012” NVO dated December 12, 2008
Independent military review from October 17, 2008, October 24, 2008 and October 31, 2008
Interview with the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Army General N. E. Makarov
Vladimir Voronov The army is on the hook. "The New Times" (October 27, 2008). “There is also a political component, which people in uniform talk about sparingly, although they admit: the army is also shaking because the Kremlin elite feels a threat emanating from there. For in a system where there are no real parties and parliament, only the army remains the only organized structure that can, if not seize power, then try.” Retrieved November 19, 2008.
Then we will fight. A. Fedorov. Lenta.Ru, 01/21/2009.

In October 2008, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov announced the upcoming reform of the Russian army. Initially, the leadership of the military department outlined the changes that awaited the Armed Forces very superficially. But gradually officials began to reveal their plans in more detail. There are also dissatisfied people who are already trying to fight the reform using the most extraordinary methods. Let's try to imagine what the Russian army will become in the future and what this will mean for it.

Number and structure

By 2012, all formations and units will be transferred to the category of permanent combat readiness, and the number of army and navy personnel will be 1 million people. At the same time, over the course of several years, it is planned to cut about 250 thousand officer positions in the army, including 200 general positions. In just 3 years, almost 120 thousand military personnel will go into the reserve and retire, who, according to Anatoly Serdyukov, will be provided with housing and severance pay, and will also be helped in finding employment.

It is quite possible that by the end of 2009 there will be no representatives of the most famous and popular category of military personnel - warrant officers - left in the army. According to the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, the modern Russian army does not need them. The functions of warrant officers will now be performed by sergeants and foremen.

The structure of the army itself will fundamentally change. The “four-tier” command system (military district, army, division, regiment) will be replaced by a “three-tier” (military district, operational command, brigade) - instead of divisions and regiments, the Russian army will have brigades.

Even the most famous divisions - Tamanskaya, Kantemirovskaya and others - will be subject to reform. The leadership of the military department intends to implement these plans in the near future.

Military education

On the basis of the existing 65 military educational institutions, it is planned to create 10 systemically important universities, including 3 military educational and scientific centers, 6 academies and one university. Today, the military education system in Russia consists of 15 military academies, 4 military universities and 46 military schools and institutes. The reform will entail not only a change in approaches to training specialists for the army, but also a significant reduction in officer positions in military educational institutions. In addition, as stated by the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General Nikolai Pankov, every year educational institutions of the Ministry of Defense will train 15 thousand contract sergeants. Their training will begin in six educational institutions from February 1, and in 48 from September 1. They will be trained according to a special program in two years and 10 months. Courses for contract sergeants will open on the basis of schools for warrant officers, who will no longer be trained.

At the same time, the plans of the Ministry of Defense have already caused dissatisfaction among military teachers at some universities. In particular, teachers and veterans of the Air Force Engineering Academy named after Professor Zhukovsky issued an open letter on the pages of the newspaper " Soviet Russia", warning about the possibility of the collapse of the university and the entire military education system of the Russian Federation. The plans of the military department for the training of aviation technicians with secondary special education, who will serve in the army with the rank of sergeant, raise particular doubts among the academy teachers. In their opinion, this result directly contradicts the tasks of equipping the Air Force with the latest types of weapons and military equipment, which require service specialists to have appropriate knowledge and qualifications. General Pankov also admitted that the reforms being carried out in the army are causing criticism in society. According to him, the Ministry of Defense was surprised by the demonstrations in Irkutsk related to the relocation of the Military Aviation Technical School to Voronezh.

However, as they say, there will be more.

Strategic Missile Forces

The planned reduction of the Russian army will practically not affect the officer corps of the strategic missile forces, as the commander of the Strategic Missile Forces, Colonel General Nikolai Solovtsov himself, recently stated. The missile forces also do not plan to remove their weapons from combat duty ahead of schedule. At the same time, international agreements between Russia and the United States limiting the nuclear potential of both sides will be respected.

According to Solovtsov, in accordance with the SNP Treaty, Russia and the United States in 2012 should each have 1,700-2,200 nuclear warheads on all carriers - strategic bombers, nuclear submarines, strategic missiles. At the time the agreement was concluded, this figure exceeded the established limits by 2-3 times. At first, as the commander put it, in Russia “they rushed to carry out this task very zealously - for American money they began to saw, blow up, cut.” Now this process has been stopped, and in the future, taking into account the creation of new complexes, Russia will be able to reach the quantitative parameters established by the SNP Treaty.

In general, good prospects are outlined in the field of technical equipment of the Strategic Missile Forces. So, from 2009, the troops will begin rearmament with a new missile system with the RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile. The head regiment with this missile as part of a mobile command post and one division is planned to be put on combat duty in the Teikovsky missile formation in December. The adoption of the Topol-M complexes into service will continue. The service life of older models will be extended.

In the Russian Air Force, in the period from 2009 to 2012, it is planned to liquidate all aviation divisions and regiments, forming air bases on their basis, and also to cut over 50 thousand officer positions. In three years, 55 air bases will be created on their basis, the basis of which will be squadrons. It is planned that in 2012 the Air Force will consist of an operational-strategic command, a long-range (strategic) aviation command, which will be armed with nuclear weapons, as well as a command military transport aviation and four air force and air defense commands. In addition, air defense corps and divisions will be transformed into aerospace defense brigades, and anti-aircraft missile brigades into anti-aircraft missile regiments. In the coming years, the military department plans to supply about 100 new helicopters to military units. According to the military, this will increase the potential of army aviation by 2.5-3 times. One of the most significant - about 30 units - will be a batch of new Ka-52 Alligator army aviation command vehicles.

The Russian Ministry of Defense will also purchase combat aircraft previously intended for the Algerian Air Force from the MiG aircraft manufacturing corporation. The contract, according to which the manufacturer will supply the Russian military department with 28 multirole MiG-29SMT fighters, has already been signed. In the near future, it is planned to conclude an agreement for the supply of six more MiG-29UB fighters. All aircraft will be delivered to the Russian Air Force during 2009.

In 2009, the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS strategic bombers and Tu-22M3 long-range bombers will undergo deep modernization. The age of the aircraft today is about 15 years, they have exhausted only a smaller part of their service life. It is planned to install new sighting and navigation systems on them, which will allow the use of unguided weapons with high degree accuracy. In addition, it is planned to carry out work to increase the range and flight duration of strategic bombers, as well as improve on-board defense kits.

The military wants to speed up the creation of a fifth-generation fighter for the Air Force - start testing in 2009, and put it into service in 2015. The aircraft will have a number of unique features: round the clock, all-weather and stealth operation, low visibility and long supersonic flight. It will receive a new on-board navigation station and a highly effective automated defense system. As Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov recently stated, Russia “is already close to creating a prototype of the first experimental batch aircraft.”

The number of units in the Russian Navy should be reduced from 240 to 123. First of all, reforms will affect the Baltic Fleet, where all personnel units should be eliminated in 2009. The officer corps will be reduced by 2-2.5 times.

However, according to NVO, by 2020 the Russian fleet should receive 8 strategic submarines and 12 conventional ones, as well as 41 surface ships. It is also possible that Russian fleet bases will appear in other countries. Thus, according to some reports, Russia is already negotiating the deployment of warships on the island of Socotra (Yemen), in Tartus (Syria) and in Tripoli (Libya).

Tartus (Syria)

In 2009, the Navy intends to put Bulava sea-based intercontinental ballistic missiles into service, as well as complete their testing and begin mass production. Some of the test launches are planned to be carried out on board the newest nuclear submarine Yuri Dolgoruky, which should also be put into service in 2009.

However, the prospects of “Bulava” are still in doubt. It is 2009, apparently, that will be decisive for the newest Russian rocket. The past one ended sadly for it - the last launch, which took place on December 23, 2008, was considered unsuccessful, because when the third stage was turned on, a failure occurred, as a result of which the Bulava self-destructed. Because of this, the number of missile tests in 2009 will be increased to 5 or more. The construction of Project 677 Lada submarines, which are called “black holes” due to their low noise, will continue. More than 120 were used in the creation of submarines. innovative technologies, resulting in “an entirely new product.”

Ground troops

Instead of 23 combined arms divisions, the Russian ground forces will have 12 motorized rifle brigades. In addition, 39 combined arms brigades, 21 missile and artillery brigades, 7 army air defense brigades, 12 communications brigades, 2 electronic warfare brigades will be created.

Now, according to some data, the ground forces of the Russian Federation number 1,890 military units, and after the reform there will be 172 units and formations. Their number will decrease to 270 thousand military personnel. Nevertheless, the leadership of the military department is convinced that the ground forces will only benefit from such transformations. According to Chief of the General Staff Nikolai Makarov, military units will now become more self-sufficient and will be able to independently and independently carry out any kind of task.

By 2015, they promise to re-equip five missile formations of the ground forces with Iskander-M complexes, two formations with new Uragan-1M multiple launch rocket systems, and also supply new tanks to the troops.

Iskander-M

The military intends to place the main emphasis on supplies modern means intelligence, communications, electronic warfare, precision weapons, automated control systems and unmanned aerial systems. Last year, the “land forces” were offended by some underestimation of their importance in modern warfare. August events in South Ossetia gave them the opportunity to show that it was too early to write off the infantry.

Rear structures

The central apparatus of the rear within army reform expects a 70 percent reduction. It is planned to retain only 300 positions, 40 percent of which will be occupied by civilian specialists. It is also planned to disband a number of rear bases and warehouses, as a result of which 12.5 thousand people will be laid off.

At the same time, the recent resignation of the Chief of Logistics of the Armed Forces, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General Vladimir Isakov, who has headed the logistics of the Armed Forces since 1997, is associated with these plans. Unofficial information that Isakov, dissatisfied with the upcoming reforms, resigned, appeared in the media as early as November 29, 2008.

Military medicine

The reform will be very noticeable for military medical structures, as well as for the doctors themselves in uniform. Their numbers, according to some estimates, will be reduced by about 30 percent. Many positions will become civilian. The reduction should mainly affect narrow specialists who are not needed in the field. The number of hospitals will also decrease significantly - from 195 to 129, as well as military clinics - from 124 to 41. In addition, 5 sanatoriums and rest homes of the Russian Ministry of Defense, as well as 17 infirmaries will be liquidated.

It is planned that all military medical institutes will be closed by 2013. In particular, Saratov and Samara should cease their activities by 2010, Tomsk - by 2011, and the State Institute for Advanced Training of Doctors of the Ministry of Defense - by 2013.

At the same time, as Lieutenant General of the Medical Service Vladimir Shappo said in an interview with AIF, about 7 million people, including retired military personnel, are now being served in military hospitals and clinics, and no one is going to deprive them of this right. However, in garrisons where there are no troops, there is now no need to maintain a hospital or clinic. Also, the military does not see the need for hospitals located close to each other.

An open secret

The military reform, announced relatively recently, has already acquired unexpected rumors and gossip. The most interesting news on this topic was the news that on November 11, 2008, Chief of the General Staff Nikolai Makarov signed a directive “On preventing the disclosure of information about the reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.” The appearance of this document was allegedly caused by growing discontent among the officers. Violators of the secrecy regime were threatened with dismissal and criminal prosecution.

However, the Ministry of Defense immediately rushed to refute the news about the threatening directive. It is possible that this was indeed a “duck” skillfully launched by someone. Although, it is likely that the refutation of the directive is directly related to the fulfillment of its own requirements - for greater secrecy.

Difficult financial factor

The Russian leadership has already made it clear that they will no longer spare money on rearmament of the army - from 2009 to 2011, about 4 trillion rubles will be allocated for these purposes. One trillion rubles, which will be used to purchase new military equipment and weapons, will be allocated to the Ministry of Defense in 2009. And the draft of a new promising state arms program, designed for 2011-2020, must be submitted to the government no later than February 2010. In the meantime, if you believe the military, things are not going entirely smoothly with the rearmament of some army structures. In particular, as the commander of the engineering troops, Lieutenant General Yuri Balkhovitin, said on January 21, 2009 in an interview with the main publication of the Ministry of Defense "Red Star", samples of modern and advanced engineering equipment are supplied to the military units subordinate to him in single copies, and their staffing level does not exceed 20 percent .

The general also said that according to the state armament program for 2007-2015, significantly less funds were planned for the purchase of engineering weapons compared to the stated need. In 2008, the defense order for 2009-2011 was increased. However, rising prices will not allow the troops to purchase even those engineering weapons that were planned. Military officials, apparently, also did not calculate expenses for organizational staff activities entirely correctly, and the once announced deadlines for implementing plans to give the army a new look may be postponed.

As Interfax recently reported, citing a source in the capital, by February 1, the military planned to complete transformations in the main and central departments of the General Staff and change the rear structure of the Armed Forces. However, now they are forced to admit that it is unlikely that it will be possible to carry out such large-scale events within this time frame, as well as transfer the majority of troops to a brigade structure by June 1, 2009. The reduction of the Armed Forces staff may also be postponed, since, according to the news agency’s interlocutor, carrying out these measures “requires colossal funds, and taking into account plans to adjust the 2009 federal budget, apparently, the timing of their implementation will also be adjusted.”

The reform may fundamentally run into the notorious " housing problem"After all, according to Russian law, discharged military personnel must be provided with housing, a shortage of which the Ministry of Defense has been experiencing for many years. There are now more than 130 thousand people in need of housing in the army. From year to year, the figure practically does not change, since the vacant places are taken by the next replenishment.

The Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, General Nikolai Makarov, has already announced that military personnel who will be discharged early from the army will be offered to move to Siberia, the Far East, Tatarstan and Bashkiria. However, one can imagine what kind of reaction the attempt will cause among the officers practical implementation these plans. However, despite all the difficulties, there is no doubt that the country's leadership does not intend to abandon reforming the army. But now something else is becoming obvious: there is no point in paying special attention to the previously announced deadlines for the implementation of these plans. Either the ideologists of the army reform miscalculated its scale, or the need to adjust budget expenditures in connection with the financial crisis forced the Ministry of Defense to slow down the pace a little.

"new bear walkers"

When exactly the military department will keep its promise and create a more compact, modern army that meets modern requirements, one can only guess. And whether service there will become more prestigious as a result of the reforms is also not entirely clear. After all, this depends not only on weapons and structure, but also on the material support of military personnel. And for some reason, the military department is stubbornly silent about the prospects for a tangible improvement in the latter.

1. The need, prerequisites and goal of reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The main objectives of the lesson are: in-depth study available documents and materials in order to provide moral and psychological support to personnel (especially officers) for the idea and plan of reform of the Armed Forces, to form an interested attitude towards its results, a sense of involvement and personal responsibility for its progress and outcome.

The Russian Federation is going through a difficult and responsible period of its development. The tasks of deep economic and democratic transformations are being solved.

Historical experience shows that in turning points In the life of our country, the Armed Forces have always been subject to deep reform. Their numbers, structure, recruitment methods, and military-technical equipment were brought into line with the realities of the time.

Currently, large-scale and active work has begun in our country to reform the army and navy, giving them a modern appearance, mobility, high combat capability and combat readiness.

On July 16, 1997, the President of Russia signed the Decree “On priority measures to reform the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and improve their structure.” It substantiates the objective need for military reform, defines its stages, content, economic justification and timing of its implementation. The decree establishes proper control and responsibility for the implementation of planned military development measures. This document is a detailed and reasoned program for reform of the Armed Forces.

1. The need, prerequisites and goal of reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Since the creation of the Russian Armed Forces (May 7, 1992), there has been a lot of talk about their reform. In practice, things essentially did not move forward. Today in the country, in the military leadership, a clear and clear understanding of the objective necessity, goals, and ways of reforming the army and navy has formed.

What exactly are the patterns that determine the need for the ongoing reform? What is their essence and how do they influence military development?

One of the determining factors influencing the military development of the state is geostrategic position of the country, the nature and features of the military-political situation in the world. The point is to correctly, soberly and balancedly determine whether there is a military threat to the country, its sources, scale and nature, to give correct assessment the real military-political situation and prospects for its development. The nature and direction of the military development of the state directly and directly depends on the answer to them.

After the end of the Cold War, the military-political situation in the world changed significantly. There was a lot in it positive changes. The former acute and dangerous military and ideological confrontation between the two systems has disappeared. There is no threat of large-scale war for our country at present and in the near future. It must be emphasized that a large-scale armed clash with the NATO bloc is also unlikely, despite its expansion to the East. In other words, at present and in the near future there is no visible serious external threat to the country. Russia, in turn, does not consider any state or people as its potential enemy.

But these changes do not mean the complete disappearance of the military danger. It now proceeds from the possibility of local wars and armed conflicts. Therefore, it is important to decide what kind of army Russia should have, based on the nature of modern regional wars and conflicts in which it may participate to one degree or another.

Today, the country's Armed Forces, not counting numerous other troops, number 1.7 million people. Their numbers are clearly inadequate to the existing military danger. There is a direct rationale for their reduction and reorganization. The country's leadership proceeds from this, putting forward the well-founded and long-overdue task of immediately carrying out reform of the Armed Forces.

The need for reform of the Armed Forces is also dictated by economic considerations. The country has been implementing for the 6th year already economic reform. It is being carried out in conditions of a severe crisis. The decline in production has not yet been overcome. In a number of key indicators, Russia seriously lags behind the main centers of power in the modern world. It accounts for only 2% of world economic output, but 4% of military spending. This means that the country's military spending is twice the world average. And one more indicator: in terms of gross domestic product per capita, we are in 46th place in the world.

Currently, up to 40% of the country's annual budget revenue is spent on maintaining the Armed Forces, other troops and law enforcement agencies. It's holding back economic transformation, does not allow increasing investment in the development of industrial and agricultural production. Our economy, which is also in a crisis situation, is simply not able to withstand such a load. This is due to underfunding of the army, especially for combat training and equipping with new weapons, delays in the payment of allowances and an increase in the number of homeless military personnel. These circumstances have an extremely negative impact on the combat effectiveness and combat readiness of the army and navy. Life requires bringing the Armed Forces into line with the level of existing military danger and the economic capabilities of the state.

The need to reform the Armed Forces is also associated with a number of demographic restrictions . The decline in population is of serious concern to the Russian leadership. During 1996, the country's population decreased by 475 thousand people. The trends in 1997 are similar.

IN last years Despite the apparent sufficiency of human resources, only a quarter of conscripts enter military service. The rest enjoy benefits, deferments, etc. As a result, there is a large shortage of privates and sergeants, which reduces the level of combat readiness.

Today, every third young man cannot serve due to health reasons (in 1995 - only every twentieth). 15% of conscripts have a body deficit; the number of people prone to alcoholism has doubled (12%); 8% of young people recruited into the army are drug addicts.

The manning situation is aggravated by the presence of military formations in another 15 federal structures that also lay claim to the conscription contingent. Let's say the Ministry of Internal Affairs has about 540 thousand people, plus 260 thousand in the internal troops; Railway troops - 80 thousand; Border troops - 230 thousand; Ministry of Emergency Situations - 70 thousand; building structures - about 100 thousand people, etc. And from this point of view, perestroika military organization extremely necessary.

It is advisable to sharply reduce the number of federal departments with military formations and move more decisively to a mixed and then to a contract system of manning units. With the reduction of the Armed Forces, this prospect becomes quite real, allowing us to move to a professional army.

What is the goal of the reform under consideration? It is primarily designed to increase the country's defense capability and bring the troops into line with the requirements of the time.

“Modern Armed Forces,” noted in the Address of the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin to Russian soldiers, “must be compact, mobile and equipped with modern weapons.” “At the same time, the reform,” said the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, “will radically improve the social situation and material well-being of a person in uniform.” (Red Star, July 30, 1997).

As the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army I. D. Sergeev noted, these should be “highly equipped, with sufficient deterrence potential, modern level professional, moral and psychological training, combat-ready, compact and mobile Armed Forces of rational composition, structure, and numbers.” (“Red Star”, June 27, 1997)

2. Main stages and content of the reform.

Military reform is a national, national task. Being extremely complex, it is designed for a long period. During its course, they highlight two stages.

On the first (until 2000) The structure, combat strength and strength of the Armed Forces are being optimized.

During this period, a new military doctrine is being developed and approved, research and development work (R&D) on new generation weapons, combat control and communications equipment, and dual-use technologies is being actively carried out.

On the second (2000-2005) qualitative improvement of the reduced Armed Forces is ensured,

increasing their combat effectiveness, switching to a contract recruitment principle, and continues to develop models of weapons of the next generations. In short, over the next 8 years, the Russian Armed Forces will be completely reformed. And subsequently, large-scale rearmament of the army, navy and other troops will begin with models of equipment that will serve in the 21st century.

What are the specific priorities of military development at the first stage of the reform of the Armed Forces? They are outlined in the reform plan, approved by the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, the commanders-in-chief of the branches of the Armed Forces and approved by the President of the Russian Federation.

Army reform, despite insufficient budgetary allocations, has begun. We can say with satisfaction that it is gaining rapid momentum. Reasonable and rational directions for its implementation have been chosen.

In order to bring the military organization of the state into line with the needs of defense and security, as well as the economic capabilities of the country, the number of military personnel is being reduced.

Total in 1997 - 2005 Almost 600 thousand officers, warrant officers and midshipmen will be dismissed from the Armed Forces. Including over 175 thousand career military personnel in 1998, almost 120 thousand in 1999. The number of civilian personnel will decrease from 600 thousand people to 300 thousand people within a year and a half.

The number of military personnel in the army and navy as of January 1, 1999 was set at 1.2 million people. This size of the Armed Forces is quite optimal and will, without a doubt, ensure reliable defense of the Russian state.

However, the reduction of the army and navy is not the main thing in their reform. The main thing is to optimize the structure and combat strength, improve the controllability and equipment of the troops.

Therefore it is necessary major organizational restructuring of the Armed Forces. The merger will take place before January 1 of next year. Missile Forces strategic purposes, the Military Space Forces and the Air Defense Missile and Space Defense Forces. It will be high quality the new kind Armed Forces. It will retain the name "Strategic Missile Forces". This merger will allow us to eliminate unnecessary parallel links, as well as pool resources and get rid of excess financial expenses. The main thing is that related defensive functions are concentrated in one hand, and the cause of the country's security wins. As a result of this reorganization, the efficiency of the possible use of the Strategic Missile Forces increases by approximately 20%, and the economic effect will exceed 1 trillion rubles.

In the same year radical optimization measures governing bodies, including - central office. Their numbers will be reduced by approximately 1/3. In particular, the Main Directorate of the Ground Forces is not only significantly reduced, but also transformed into the Main Directorate of the Ground Forces. It is reassigned to one of the Deputy Ministers of Defense and will focus mainly on issues of combat training of troops. The purpose of the reforms of management bodies is to improve the quality and efficiency of management, professionalism, and staff culture. In 1998, the Air Force and Air Defense Forces merged.. Based on their unification, a branch of the Armed Forces is created - Air Force. But the process of this unification will be far from easy, given different methods and ways to manage these types of Armed Forces, and most importantly - they different tasks. During the unification, the combat strength of the Air Force and Air Defense will be optimized, and the problem of managing them under the new structure will be solved.

In connection with this transformation, the transition from a five-service to a four-service structure of the Armed Forces is being completed. Then a three-service structure is envisaged (according to the areas of use of troops: land, air, space and sea). Ultimately, we must arrive at two components: Strategic forces deterrence (SSS) and general purpose forces (SON).

During the reform of the Navy changes will also occur, although its structure will generally remain the same. There will be 4 fleets left - the Baltic, Northern, Pacific and Black Sea, as well as Caspian flotilla. But they will be more compact than the current groupings of forces and assets in strategically important ocean and sea areas. The fleet should retain ships of high combat effectiveness, strategic submarine cruisers, support forces. Reducing the number of ships will increase the importance naval aviation coastal based. The fleet will deal with more limited issues than at present, combat missions.

Ground troops - the basis of the Armed Forces. And yet the number of divisions in them will decrease. It is expected that 25 divisions will be retained. Some of them will be fully equipped and combat-ready in every strategic direction. They will be able to effectively solve relevant problems. Based on the remaining divisions, storage bases for weapons and military equipment will be created. The combat potential of the retained divisions will increase. They will be equipped with new weapons and control systems. Thanks to this, efficiency will almost double destructive actions divisions. Serious changes will also affect military districts.

Military districts are given the status of operational-strategic (operational-territorial) commands Armed forces of the Russian Federation in the relevant directions. Within the boundaries of their responsibility, military districts are entrusted with the functions of operational leadership of all military formations, regardless of their affiliation with various federal departments. This means that border internal troops, civil defense units and other military formations are operationally subordinate to the operational-strategic command.

In connection with the planned transformations military system will undergo major changes across the country. It will acquire harmony and completeness, the ability to more effectively solve pressing issues of strengthening the country's defense.

As already mentioned, the reform of the Armed Forces is carried out under conditions of severe financial restrictions, when the defense budget not only does not increase, but is even cut. Therefore, it is important to persistently seek internal reserves and skillfully use them.

This thesis is rejected by a number of opponents and is strongly criticized by some media. Meanwhile, there are internal reserves. They are quite serious.

Already at the first stage of reform, it is necessary to get rid of unjustified and unproductive expenses that do not meet the interests of strengthening the country's defense capability. The Armed Forces must get rid of enterprises and organizations, objects and structures, without which their livelihoods would be virtually unaffected and they are quite capable of existing.

Currently already The process of withdrawing so-called support structures from the Armed Forces began. Some of them are significantly reorganized and corporatized. This will reduce the number of military and civilian personnel. At the same time, considerable funds will be received to replenish the defense budget and provide social protection.

A major reorganization of the military construction complex is underway. It is carried out on the basis of the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, signed on July 8, 1997, “On the reform of state unitary enterprises that are part of the construction and quartering bodies of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.” More than 100 organizations of the military-construction complex, being withdrawn from the Armed Forces, will be transformed into joint-stock companies. The number of military personnel will be reduced by 50 thousand people, and the controlling stake will remain in federal property. On this basis, considerable funds will be received. The Armed Forces temporarily retain 19 state-owned enterprises that will be engaged in construction and industrial activities, as well as supporting the livelihoods of remote garrisons.

On July 17, 1997, the President of the Russian Federation signed a Decree on the formation of the Federal Service special construction Russia . The reorganized Rosspetsstroy will provide the most important special construction work. At the same time, the number of military personnel will be reduced from 76 thousand to 10 thousand people. Also on July 17, 1997, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation The Federal Road Construction Administration was reorganized. It operated under the Ministry of Defense, and has now been transferred to the Federal Road Service of the country. At the same time, the number of military personnel of this department is reduced from 57 to 15 thousand people.

Thus, only according to the three mentioned decrees of the President of the Russian Federation, due to structural changes, it will be possible to reduce about 150 thousand military personnel. In general, as a result of the reform, the number of military construction workers will be reduced by 71%, and civilian personnel in military construction by 42%. Military construction is planned to be carried out on a competitive basis. All this will significantly reduce the burden on the defense budget. Moreover, it will be significantly replenished due to numerous enterprises being withdrawn from the Armed Forces.

At the first stage of reform, such problems will have to be resolved. There are about 100 agricultural enterprises in the system of the Ministry of Defense. Many of them are unprofitable. They were created during a period of food shortages. Currently, their preservation in the same form is not justified everywhere. Therefore, their corporatization is envisaged. However, in a number of regions (Kola Peninsula, Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Tiki, etc.) They still significantly meet the needs for essential food products.

The number of military representations at enterprises in which officers are involved is being reduced, numbering 38 thousand people. Moreover, representatives various types The Armed Forces sometimes perform overlapping functions. There is an urgent need to have a unified system of government representation at enterprises. It is also advisable to eliminate numerous hunting grounds, recreation centers, etc., for the maintenance of which subsidies and compensation are constantly increasing at the expense of the Ministry of Defense.

During the reform of the Armed Forces it is necessary transfer to organs local authorities social infrastructure facilities(parts of housing and communal services, kindergartens and nurseries, schools, household enterprises, etc.), which are on the balance sheet of the Ministry of Defense. These are tens of thousands of buildings and structures. The cost of maintaining social infrastructure sometimes reaches 30% of the cost of maintaining troops. Their transfer to local budgets will begin this year and end in 1999. This measure will provide annual savings of 2-3 trillion rubles. They will also be used to provide social guarantees for military personnel.

Has now started radical reorganization of military trade, which employs about 62 thousand people. The administrative apparatus is being restructured and reduced. Unprofitable enterprises are liquidated. The sale of the largest military trade objects in Moscow and major centers where they have lost their functional purpose. All this will allow us to almost halve the number of military trade personnel, including military personnel by 75%. More than a trillion rubles will be received from the corporatization of trading enterprises. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense retains a controlling stake. You can manage these businesses and earn income.

It should be especially noted that military personnel and their families will not suffer at all from the reorganization of the military trade system. After all, up to 70% of enterprises serve closed and remote garrisons.

During the reform, many military camps are being released. Becomes redundant a large number of various weapons. Military property is being released.

The reform of the Armed Forces is intended to adjust the structure of the defense budget . Recently, an extremely unfavorable structure for financing the Armed Forces has emerged. Up to 70% of the allocated funds goes towards salaries for officers and salaries for civilian personnel. Moreover, in 1996, more than 7 trillion rubles were spent for these purposes in excess of budgetary funds. And combat training and the purchase of new equipment are actually not funded. At a meeting of the Federation Council on July 4 this year. Minister of Defense General of the Army I.D. Sergeev stated: “In the Armed Forces, with the exception of the Missile Forces and several formations of the Ground Forces, combat training is almost completely absent” (Red Star, July 5, 1997). Almost no new ones enter the troops Combat vehicles and weapons. As a result, the level of combat and mobilization readiness of troops and their technical equipment are reduced. The reduction of the army and navy and their organizational transformations will make it possible to use approximately half of the defense budget for combat training and the acquisition of new weapons.

The most important problem determining the success of reform is financing. This is the "question of questions" today. As is already clear from the previous explanations, it is envisaged to have three sources of funding: 1) budget money for improving the combat training of troops, daily provision of the entire structure of combat readiness (Today this figure is 1%, but in 1998 it will rise to 10%); 2) sale of surplus released military property and trade enterprises; 3) line item in the budget for social guarantees military personnel being transferred to the reserve.

It will be decided in a completely new way issue of military personnel training. The task of reforming the military education system is to increase the level of personnel training and at the same time optimize training costs. Currently, the Ministry of Defense has 100 universities, incl. 18 military academies. Their number clearly exceeds the personnel requirements of the army and navy in the new conditions. It will be reduced, including through mergers. Let's say, at present, 17 military educational institutions are training aviation specialists for the Air Force, Air Defense and Ground Forces, incl. two academies (VVA Air Force and VA Air Defense). After their reorganization, there will be 8 aviation schools. The two academies will be merged into the Military Academy of the Air Force and Air Defense, which will train command personnel. A military technical aviation university them. NOT. Zhukovsky will focus on training engineering personnel for all branches of the Armed Forces.

During the military reform, such a difficult task will have to be solved. It, of course, goes beyond the Ministry of Defense, but its experience in reorganizing the system of training military personnel will have to be used in every possible way. Now each power ministry and department has its own system for training military personnel. In addition to the Ministry of Defense, military universities operate in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (more than 30), in the Federal border service(7) etc. Unfortunately, the activities of numerous universities are not coordinated by anyone. There is an urgent need to create a unified (federal) system for training military personnel for all law enforcement ministries and departments. At the same time, the quality of personnel training will certainly increase. This will also be facilitated by increasing the professionalism of university teaching staff. In particular, filling a number of positions with trained civilian specialists, extending the service life of officer-scientists and specialists highly qualified etc.

Further, in the current state of affairs, primarily due to the low prestige of military service, many military school cadets break their contracts after completing their second year of training. At the same time, they are credited with a two-year period of military service and continue their studies in related civilian educational institutions from the 3rd year. As a result, the Ministry of Defense incurs huge costs and does not receive required quantity trained officers. This problem requires an optimal solution.

Practice shows that up to 40% of graduates leave the Armed Forces after graduating from college. The reasons are well known. All this leads to a shortage of young officers. Here we have to find the right and optimal solutions.

It is necessary to significantly reform the rear organs of the Armed Forces. They are brought into line with the new species structure army and navy. Their optimization and adaptation to market economic conditions are envisaged. The rear of the Armed Forces is called upon to be more economical and to use budget funds rationally. All this should help improve the nutrition of soldiers, their clothing allowance, in general, logistical support for troops.

Thus, the reform of the Armed Forces is a truly large-scale and responsible matter, requiring great effort and significant material costs. The reform affects the fundamental interests of the country's national security. The success of its implementation depends on a number of conditions. First of all, from popular support for ongoing activities (material and moral support), from the level of state and military leadership of changes in the military sphere. No wonder the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin took the course of reform of the Armed Forces under his personal control.

3. The tasks of military personnel to ensure combat readiness, strengthen military discipline and law and order, and successfully implement the reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

The reform of the Armed Forces, their radical transformation, have a decisive influence on changes in the scale and nature of the tasks they solve.

It should be emphasized that even in the new conditions, as follows from the essence of the reform, the function of the Armed Forces was and remains the same. This is to ensure Russia's security from external threats to its territorial integrity, sovereignty, economic and political interests.

Despite the low probability modern conditions large-scale aggression against our country, the task of ensuring external security still remains relevant. The main sources of military danger are local wars and regional conflicts in which Russia may be involved.

Under these conditions, there is a need for a certain adjustment of both general tasks and their individual types. And this will inevitably determine the content and direction of the entire process of combat training and military service. The Armed Forces are called upon to reliably deter any possible aggression, and at the same time have the ability and ability to prevent or fend off local wars and regional conflicts.

The main task of deterring aggression still rests with the Strategic Missile Forces. In connection with the reform, they acquire new fighting qualities. While playing a decisive role in deterring aggression, they are also less expensive than other branches of the Armed Forces. Nuclear deterrence remains the core of Russia's national defense system. This is a reliable guarantee of the country's security during a period of deep economic and political transformations, including reform of the Armed Forces.

In terms of conventional Armed forces and weapons, Russia will have sufficient capabilities to successfully solve combat missions in local wars and regional conflicts. Ground forces will be small in number, compact and mobile. They will have transportation means for operations in various strategic directions. The Air Force will play an increasing role in local wars and regional conflicts. The combat power of the conventional Armed Forces will increase significantly over the years of reform as a result of equipping them with high-precision weapons systems.

The Navy, while maintaining a largely modern structure, will have the ability to solve problems in important oceanic and maritime strategic areas, ensuring the state interests of the country. But the scope of these tasks may be limited due to positive changes in the military-political situation in the world.

The likelihood of local wars and armed conflicts will necessitate more active participation in international peacekeeping operations. They are organized by the UN, OSCE, CIS. This is fundamental for the Russian Armed Forces new task. To solve it, special military contingents may be required, as is happening, for example, now in Tajikistan.

As you can see, the reform of the Armed Forces, their deep transformation in no way relieves the army and navy of the task of ensuring the country's security. But the content of the tasks is being clarified and adjusted in connection with changes in the nature and scale of military dangers for the country.

The success of the reform of the Armed Forces and their implementation of the tasks of ensuring the security of our state directly depends on the activity and effectiveness of the military labor of army and navy personnel. The challenges of reform are complex. But any reforms are carried out by people - specific military personnel. And active participation in putting reforms into practice is our common patriotic duty.

The training leader must emphasize that the main efforts of personnel in the context of the reform should be aimed at maintaining high combat readiness, which is unthinkable without high training of military personnel, strong military discipline and law and order.

The leadership of the Ministry of Defense considers the priority task at the stage of reforms to be the prevention of crimes and incidents, primarily related to the death and injury of people, manifestations of hazing, loss and theft of weapons, ammunition and military property. Such facts reduce the effectiveness of reforms and divert a lot of effort from solving the main tasks associated with reforming the army and navy.

The level of organization of personnel is very important; it is necessary that reorganization, mass dismissal military personnel, the withdrawal of supporting structures from the Armed Forces, etc. were carried out as planned, without any failures. The main thing is not to slacken attention to the tasks of increasing vigilance and combat readiness, because the modern world is not safe.

Under these conditions, the demands placed on officers who organize the training and education of subordinates and implementers of state policy in the army and navy increase immeasurably. The quality of combat training and the level of military skill of soldiers and sergeants primarily depend on their professionalism, sense of responsibility, and initiative.

They are the bearers of high morale and discipline. Only them personal example in service, in compliance with Russian laws and military regulations, it serves as an effective means of establishing law and order and strong military discipline in the troops.

This is exactly what the Minister of Defense, General of the Army I.D., spoke about at a reception in honor of graduates of military academies on June 30, 1997. Sergeev: “We must not forget that the state of the army and navy is determined primarily by the state of the officer corps. It is the officers, true professionals, patriots devoted to their Fatherland, who with dignity bear their high title of defender of the Russian land” (“Red Star”, July 1, 1997 .).

During the period of reform, attention to the issues of social protection of soldiers cannot be weakened.

The guarantee of success is to maintain a healthy moral and psychological state in military teams in today's difficult times.

It is necessary to see in each of your subordinates not a robot, not a blind tool, but a person, a personality. However, humanity is not connivance, not coddling, but care combined with exactingness. The main thing is not to forget about the dignity of your subordinates, to always feel personal responsibility for their training and education, for their lives.

One of most important tasks officers - to strengthen the patriotic, moral and military education of subordinates.

It is important to ensure that every soldier, every subordinate understands the state significance of the ongoing reform of the Armed Forces, and personal responsibility for maintaining high vigilance and combat readiness. Military personnel must deeply understand that the reduction of the army and navy should not weaken their combat power. It must be supplemented by the growth of the combat skill of each warrior, skillful use of military equipment and weapons, strengthening of military discipline, organization and military law and order.

During the period of reform, when individual units and divisions will be reduced, a careful and economical attitude to a variety of material resources is more important than ever.

And about one more problem. Today, when there is spiritual and political confrontation in society, various forces are trying to influence the army. The involvement of military personnel in political processes would lead to destabilization in military collectives and would not only be illegal, but in the full sense, destructive for the reform of the army and society. Skepticism and discrediting the ideas of military reform and reform of the Armed Forces can cause serious damage to the cause of ensuring the country's national security. But there is no turning back. Behind us is only the degradation and destruction of the army and navy. Ahead, on the path of reform, are the powerful Russian Armed Forces of the 21st century. Great Russia we need a strong, reformed army. Everyone should realize this.

In conclusion, we emphasize once again that the reform of the Russian Armed Forces is a major, historical event in the life of the people and their armed defenders, a matter of great national importance. It is objectively conditioned and natural. The reform will bring the Armed Forces into full compliance with the nature and characteristics of the modern military-political situation and the economic capabilities of the country. The army and navy, having reduced in quantity, will increase their combat effectiveness and combat readiness due to qualitative parameters.

One of the strategic objectives of the reform, as the President of the Russian Federation emphasizes, is to qualitatively improve the lives of military personnel, “... to return the military profession to its former prestige and respect of Russians.” (Red Star, July 30, 1997).

The reform will contribute to the economic and political stabilization of the country. The objectives of the reform cannot be solved without raising the level of combat readiness, without strengthening military discipline and law and order, without the interested attitude of each military personnel to its successful implementation.

Sample questions for the seminar (conversation):

What caused the need for such a radical reform of the country's Armed Forces?

What were the latest speeches by the leadership of the country and the army, and how were the goals and priorities of reform formulated?

Tell us about the main stages of the reform of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

Personnel policy during reform.

Restructuring military education.

Tell us how the defense budget will be adjusted.

What needs to be done to improve the prestige of military service?

What sources of funding are provided to support the reform?

What measures are planned to be taken to ensure social protection of military personnel and members of their families?

Tell us about the tasks of the Armed Forces in modern conditions.

How do you imagine the tasks of your unit, division and your personal ones during the reform?

Literature

1. Constitution of the Russian Federation. - M., 1993.

2. Federal Law of the Russian Federation "On Defense". - M., 1996.

3. Address on national security of the President of the Russian Federation to the Federal Assembly. - Russian newspaper, 1997, March 7.

4. “Towards an active foreign policy and effective military reform.” From the message of the President of the Russian Federation to the Federal Assembly. - Red Star, 1997, March 11.

5. Address of the President of the Russian Federation “To the soldiers of Russia.” - Red Star, 1997, March 28.

6. Answers of the President of the Russian Federation to questions from “Red Star” / “Towards a new look for the army.” - Red Star, 1997, May 7.

7. "Meeting of the Defense Council: the severity of the presidential assessments." - Red Star, 1997, May 23.

8. Decree of the President of the Russian Federation "On priority measures to reform the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and improve their structure." - Red Star, 1997, July 19.

9. Answers from the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Army General I.D. Sergeev to questions from “Red Star” / “Reforms are our common concern.” - Red Star, 1997, June 27.

10. Sergeev I.D. Speech at a meeting of the Federation Council. - Red Star, 1997, July 5.

11. Sergeev I.D. The new look of the army: realities and prospects. - Red Star, 1997, July 22.

12. Text of radio address by B.N. Yeltsin dated July 25, 1997

13. Address of the President of the Russian Federation, Supreme Commander-in-Chief “To the soldiers of Russia.” - Red Star, 1997, July 30.

14. Sergeev I.D. New Russia, new army. - Red Star, 1997, September 19.