OPINION:
Russia is planning to massively increase its artillery and missile capability with the creation of several large units by the year 2021. This development comes after multiple reorganizations of the Russian armed forces in the last several years as Russia continues to expand and modernize its combat capability.
Russian state news organization TASS reports on comments by the ground forces’ commander, Mikhail Matveyevsky, “In order to build up the combat potential of the ground forces’ missile and artillery component a number of new units will be formed by 2021.”
Russia says the percentage of its military that is equipped with modern equipment has now reached thirty percent, and in some units exceed seventy percent. The number of contract servicemen in uniform at the end of 2015 will be 350,000 with the number reaching 500,000 by 2021. Over the last three years, since Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has been in charge, eight large operation units, twenty-five divisions, and fifteen brigades have been stood up.
“Timely measures have enhanced the combat readiness and capabilities of our armed forces. This is well-seen in the anti-terrorist operation we have been conducting at the request of the Syrian leadership,” President Vladimir Putin told a conference devoted to the state of affairs in the defense-industrial complex. “The fleet of combat aircraft and air defense forces is being upgraded. So are the weapons and equipment of the ground and airborne forces.”
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