"I will pay serious attention to these issues, personally and through subordinates control antiterrorist readiness of some Defense Ministry units, first of all, permanent readiness units," the minister told journalists when visiting the 205th detached motorized rifle brigade stationed in Budyonnovsk.
Mr. Ivanov said that the 205th detached motorized rifle brigade would be 100 per cent transferred to contract service by November 1, 2005.
The minister noted that today 10% of sergeants' and soldiers' positions were staffed with contract servicemen in the 205th brigade.
Building the necessary infrastructure, in his words, is to complete by July 1, 2005.
"What remains is a club, the construction of a sports and rehabilitation complex, then the task on construction will be fulfilled," Mr. Ivanov said. He also noted the importance of creating a new material-study base. "We need a testing ground, training facilities and constant combat training."
The minister told journalists that visiting brigades' facilities, he suddenly gave the brigade commander "information" about an "attack" on the missile-artillery armament depot.
"I watched special units detached to fulfill antiterrorist functions act. They used vehicles," said Mr. Ivanov.
The Defense Minister was satisfied with the "antiterrorist operation" and noted that all norms were kept.
"I noted the time: 15-minute readiness inside the brigade and a 30-minute readiness to start movement. These norms were fulfilled," said Mr. Ivanov.
The minister noted that such brigades and groups to fulfill antiterrorist functions were established in each constituent member of the Southern federal district.
Commander of troops of the North Caucasian military district, General of the Army Alexander Baranov told journalists that by the end of 2007, over half of posts of soldiers and sergeants in the troops would be staffed with contract servicemen.
The federal targeted program of transfer to staffing a number of formations and military units with contract servicemen for 2004-2007 was developed in 2003. The federal budget will allot over 79 billion rubles on it.
The program envisages the transfer in 2004-2007 to a new way of staffing of 80 formations and military units with the strength of 147,500 servicemen.
