MOSCOW, February 18 (RIA Novosti) - Priority tasks facing Russia's Armed Forces will remain unchanged, the new Russian defense minister said Sunday.
On February 15, President of Russia Vladimir Putin appointed Anatoly Serdyukov, 45, who headed the Federal Tax Service for the last three years, as new defense minister, replacing Sergei Ivanov.
"First of all, this applies to the social sphere - the provision of servicemen with housing, combat training, modernization of the Armed Forces, the increase of the number of troops serving on contract and the transition to a 12-month draft from January 1, 2008," Serdyukov said.
