- MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian
forces are so poorly equipped they could not launch an offensive war, Defense
Minister Sergei Ivanov was quoted as saying Tuesday.
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- Ivanov, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, has
spearheaded military reform in Russia and is trying to transform bloated
Soviet-style conscript units into a modern professional force.
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- "Conditions are on an acceptable level only for
the fulfillment of nuclear deterrent, counter-terrorist and peace-keeping
activities," Ivanov told a meeting of military top brass also attended
by Putin, according to Interfax news agency.
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- Only last month, Ivanov said Russia reserved the right
to launch pre-emptive non-nuclear strikes, but his latest comments suggested
it would not actually be capable of doing so.
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- "As a whole, the armed forces are only 75-80 percent
equipped with fully functioning ammunition and technology, and of this,
modern weapons makes up less than 20 percent."
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- The armed forces' decline from victors of World War II
to what many see as a national disgrace was graphically shown up in 2000,
when the Kursk, the country's newest nuclear submarine, sank with the loss
of all hands after an onboard explosion.
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- Ivanov said lack of money, aging equipment and poor training
in the air force meant crashes were frequent and not a single Russian air
unit was fully operational.
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- "This year, there have been eight aviation accidents,
of which five have been crashes, which have killed 12 people. Seven of
the eight were caused by a mistake by the flight team in...using the plane's
technology."
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- But many analysts say Ivanov, who has said combat-ready
troops must be fully professional by 2007, is loathe to fully implement
reforms as they could cost an extra $1 billion a year and be unpopular
with the military leadership, who are losing around a fifth of military
personnel.
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- In the meantime, morale remains low. Bullying is rife
among conscripts and young men go to extreme lengths to avoid service.
Ivanov was quoted as saying that a third of non-military deaths in the
armed forces were suicides.
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- In an extensive study of conditions in the army published
last week and widely reported in Russian media, U.S.-based Human Rights
Watch said bullying and lack of money meant conscripts were often poorly
fed and denied access to medical care.
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- "Many go hungry or develop serious health problems,
including pneumonia and festering sores, as minor health concerns remain
untreated," the rights watchdog said.
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- Putin, meeting military veterans Tuesday, said the government
was discussing raising military salaries.
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- "A lot has been done, but it is still insufficient,"
Interfax quoted him as saying.
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