"This, no doubt, is to make the actions of army units more effective and help reduce the losses," Mr. Ivanov said.
He noted in the report that the 2004-2007 federal program of manning a number of army units by servicemen serving under contract is being carried out well in the army.
"One of its results should be providing conditions for reducing, beginning with 2008, the term of military service by conscription to 1 year, which will have a positive effect on increasing the number of adequately trained manpower for the Armed Forces," the Defense Minister stressed.
He said further in the report that under the program the 42nd motorized rifle division stationed in Chechnya will go over completely a contract method of recruitment by the end of the year. It will become the second unit, after the 76th airborne division, manned totally by contract servicemen, the minister said.
According to the Defense Ministry, during ten months of this year the losses of the Russian Armed Forces in Chechnya totaled 148 servicemen.
After the active phase of the antiterrorist operation in the North Caucasus 499 servicemen were killed in 2001. In 2002 and 2003 the losses reduced to 480 and 291 respectively, Mr. Ivanov said.
