The number of military districts in Russia will be reduced by December 1

The Russian armed forces continue to reform the operational and strategic management. According to the plan, which is being developed in the General Staff of the army, by December 1 the number of military districts will be reduced from six to four due to their consolidation.

On the basis of the latter, four operational-strategic commands (USC) —Western, Southern, Central and Eastern — will be formed with their operational submission to the commanders of all troops (forces) of both the armed forces and other power structures located on their territory. It is planned to create the Western Military District (USC) by combining the Moscow and Leningrad military districts with headquarters in St. Petersburg.

The Baltic and Northern fleets are transferred to the operational subordination of the USC commander fleets, Air Force units, Airborne Forces, troops of other security agencies. The Southern Military District (SMD, headquarters in Rostov-on-Don) will be formed on the basis of the North Caucasian Military District, with possible subordination to the operational commander of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla. The Central Military District (SMD) with headquarters in Yekaterinburg is being created by merging the Volga-Ural Military District and the western part of the Siberian Military District (SMD). The Eastern Military District (SMD) with headquarters in Khabarovsk will be formed by merging the Far Eastern Military District and the eastern part of the Siberian Military District. The Pacific Fleet will be operationally subordinate to its commander, the General Staff representative specified.

He particularly noted that the issue of subordination of units and formations to the commanders of the OSK Rocket strategic forces, naval strategic nuclear forces, long-range aviation and Space Forces "not yet resolved." “This issue is currently under further study, it is personally the chief of the General Staff who is involved in the work, Army General Nikolai Makarov,” the representative of the headquarters explained, ITAR-TASS reports.

According to him, the planned integration of military districts with the creation of USC on their basis "will be tested on the Vostok-2010 operational and strategic exercises to be held in late June-early July, which will be held under the leadership of the Chief of the General Staff.

The interlocutor of the agency also indicated that reducing the number of military districts from six to four will not lead to a reduction in the officer corps. “150 thousands of officers currently in our army will continue to serve. We are already lacking officers. There will simply be a movement and redistribution of part of the officer corps to new duty stations, ”said the representative of the General Staff.