MONINO (Moscow Region), February 27 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Army is set to trial a new 'buffet' style system with personnel serving themselves in mess halls, a military official said on Wednesday.
"Three military units in the Moscow and Leningrad military districts are holding trials of a buffet style system for military personnel," Maj.-Gen. Yury Bordyug said.
The army official said that the new system will be introduced at military units, which have mess halls serving no more than 300 officers and soldiers.
Russia has downsized its Armed Forces to about 1.1 million personnel, but military spending has increased dramatically under President Putin. Defense spending is set to total 1.18 trillion rubles ($45 billion) by 2010.
Deputy Defense Minister Lyubov Kudelina said earlier this week that the ministry is set to spend around one trillion rubles ($40 bln) of federal budget funds in 2008, 20% more than in 2007.
