Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation General of the Army Sergei Shoigu held the Board session
Today, Board session of the military department headed by the Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation General of the Army Sergei Shoigu has been held.
Leadership of the Russian Armed Forces, representatives of state power bodies and public organization took part in the session.
In accordance to the agenda, results of activity for 2013-2016 have been summed up, and main tasks for 2020 have been discussed.
Before the session start, Minister of Defence paid attention to situation in the Syrian Arab Republic, where the truce process was continued.
The Head of the defence department noted that commanders of 59 armed groupings of “moderate opposition” had signed ceasefire application forms.
Moreover, leaders of 109 inhabited areas have signed reconciliation agreements. Warfare has been finished in these inhabited areas. The population is receiving humanitarian aid, citizens are returning to their houses, and infrastructure, which had been destroyed by the war, is being recovered.
According to the Defence Minister, the United States of America are taking similar measures. In course of their work, 138 armed formations have joined ceasefire regime.
Russian army is actively taking part in establishing peaceful life in Syria. Mine-clearing unit of the International Mine Action Centre of the Russian Armed Forces have completed all tasks in Palmyra. The unit has cleared 825 hectares of terrain and 116 kilometers of roads from mines. About 19,000 explosive devices have been defused.
The mine-clearing unit has returned to Russia. Only a group of specialists training Syrian sappers is still in Palmyra. Water supply point and field hospital have been installed for citizens.
General of the Army Sergei Shoigu stated, that in general the ceasefire had been observed in most provinces of the Syrian Arab Republic despite a number of violations.
He explained that situation destabilization was promoted by uncontrolled crossing of the Syrian-Turkish border by Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS terrorists.
Proceeding to the main point of the agenda, General of the Army Sergei Shoigu noted that structural changes of the Russian Armed Forces for the last three years had promoted successful strategic task performance in the Arctic, Crimea, Mediterranean Sea, further sea zones and world airspace.
According to him, the troops have been fitted with more than 15,000 pieces of new and modernized armament and military hardware. There are more than 47% of modern armament and hardware in the Armed Forces.
In accordance to the Defence Minister, the military department has been paying special attention to moral and psychological support of the personnel, raising interest in the military service of the youth.
