The Russian Armed Forces continue to reform the operational-strategic command and control link. According to the plan, which is being developed at the General Staff of the Army, by December 1 of this year the number of military districts will be reduced from six to four due to their enlargement.
On the basis of the latter, four operational-strategic commands (OSK) will be formed - Western, Southern, Central and Eastern, with their operational subordination 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 (OSK) by combining the Moscow and Leningrad military districts with the headquarters in St. Petersburg.
The Baltic and Northern fleets, units of the Air Force, Airborne Forces, troops of other power structures are transferred into operational subordination to the commander of the USC. On the basis of the North Caucasian Military District, the Southern Military District (USC, headquarters in Rostov-on-Don) will be formed with its possible subordination to the operational commander of the Black Sea Fleet and the Caspian Flotilla. The Central Military District (USC) with its headquarters in Yekaterinburg is created by the merger of the Volga-Ural Military District and the western part of the Siberian Military District (Siberian Military District). The Eastern Military District (USC) with its headquarters in Khabarovsk will be formed by the merger of the Far Eastern Military District and the eastern part of the Siberian Military District. The Pacific Fleet will be operatively subordinate to its commander, said a representative of the General Staff.
He especially noted that the issue of subordination to the USC commander of units and formations of the Strategic Missile Forces, naval strategic nuclear forces, long-range aviation and Space Forces "has not yet been resolved." "This issue is now at the stage of further elaboration, the Chief of the General Staff, General of the Army Nikolai Makarov, is personally involved in it," the headquarters representative explained, ITAR-TASS reports.
According to him, the planned enlargement of military districts with the creation of USC on their basis “will be tested at the forthcoming Vostok-2010 operational-strategic exercises 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 pointed out that reducing the number of military districts from six to four will not lead to a reduction in the number of officers. “150 thousand officers currently in our army will continue to serve. We already do not have enough officers. There will simply be a relocation and redistribution of a part of the officer corps to new duty stations,”said the representative of the General Staff.
