Russian
servicemen equip an Iskander tactical missile system at the Army-2015
international military-technical forum in Kubinka, outside Moscow,
Russia. (Reuters)
Russia will create three new
military divisions on its Western flank in 2016 and bring five new
strategic nuclear missile regiments into service, Sergei Shoigu, the
country’s defence minister, was quoted as saying by news agencies on
Tuesday.
Shoigu’s announcement was consistent with a multi-billion dollar
overhaul of Russia’s military, which is currently carrying out air
strikes in Syria after helping annex Ukraine’s Crimea region in 2014.
Shoigu did not explain the motivation for forming the new divisions, but
said it would be one of the most important tasks for the defence
ministry this year. He said every military district should also expect
to undergo spot checks in 2016.
“Our main effort should go into strengthening the potential of our
strategic nuclear forces and of fulfilling the space defense program,”
the RIA Novosti agency quoted Shoigu as telling a meeting.
“Five rocket regiments, equipped with modern rocket complexes, will enter active service in 2016.”
It was also necessary to steadily improve the infrastructure supporting
the nuclear forces, he said, singling out the facilities where the
country’s nuclear-armed submarines and long-range nuclear bombers were
based.
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