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Russia plans to build armed forces worthy of great power
MOSCOW. May 23: Russia's new defence minister said on Friday his country would build armed forces worthy of a great power and pledged to defend the dignity of Russians in former Soviet republics, reports Reuter
Pavel Grachev, speaking at a news conference. cited a three stage plan to create a force of 15 million men by the year 2000
He acknowledged troops faced serious prob Ie ms In the crossfire of regional conflicts and said he would not brook "bandits and hooli
I will not allow the honour and dignity of Russians to be insulted on the territory of any state,' the general said
Grachev said economic restrictions had meant manoeuvres and practical training had been cut back to a dangerous degree in what had once been one of the world's most feared armies.
"When planes collide, helicopters drop out of the sky and submarines sink — all these facts speak of a considerable fall tn efficiency,"
he said
Grachev. 43. was a paratroop commander a year ago But hr- was promoted rapidly after co operating with Yeltsin tn blocking August s failed hardline coup
Grachev described what some military lead era might have considered a humiliating defeat for one of the world s biggest armies, at the hands of women, children and old men In Moldova
A crowd ol about 15.000 people, he said, broke into a has* of the 14t>i army in Moldova s Slav-dominated breakaway !>ne»tr republic on Tuesday after the camp had been shelled
"Despite measures taken by the commander of the 14th army, they (the soldiers) failed to save all the military equipment " he said
"Vehicles that were outside the camp were seized by women and children and taken away from the 14th army, he said
Grachev said preparations wire under way for the withdrawal of Russian forces from the
Transcaucasus area, where the former Soviet army has suffered Its heaviest casualties. While they remained, though, they would defend themselves if attacked
But the armed forces. In the long term, faced a thorough shakeup with Improvement of equipment, better training of soldiers and reform of the arms Industry Officers and soldiers would enjoy Improved conditions and social security
"In a word. Russia should have armed forces commensurate with Russia s status as a great power Grachev said.
The first stage of his reform plan Involved building up the apparatus of the Russian Meme Ministry, created by President Borts Yeltsin last month after efforts failed to main tain a fully united commonwealth armed force
The years 1993-94 would see formal con struetton of a Russian army from former Soviet forces under Russaln Jurisdiction. This Included some 600,000 men based In Eastern Europe and in other commonwealth republics.
The third, and possibly most powerful stage, would be cutbacks due over four years from 1995 to 1999. slashing numbers by 700,000 to 2.1 million.
Disillusionment Is rife in the officer corps over conditions faced by men returning from East Europe Thousands are living In makeshift accommodation and many more fear for their future under the proposed cuts
By the year 2000. the force should reach tts planned level of abou* 1.5 millton men
Grachev said Russia would take over control of Its nuclear weapons after the pullout of the last nuclear missiles from Ukraine Kazakhstan and Belarus, probably in late >994. At present the entire arsenal Is under Joint common wealth command.
The Russian army will be by far the biggest of the forces to emerge from the former Soviet Unton. But Ukraine has seized large amounts of equipment. Including tanka, that Russia Insists should be transferred to its control.