Serdyukov Flanked by Makarov and Pankov
November’s the time for year-end evaluations in the Russian military, and the Defense Ministry had its collegium yesterday. Mil.ru printed Defense Minister Serdyukov’s introductory remarks.
First on his mind was complete fulfillment of the State Defense Order next year, and signing all GOZ-2012 contracts next month. He said all responsibility for ordering will be transferred to a “Federal Procurement Agency.”
Some media sources assumed this means Rosoboronpostavka. This author thinks it could be something new. It’s important, so here’s exactly what Mil.ru says he said:
“Next year the functions of the ordering organ are being fully transferred to the Federal Procurement Agency.”
If that means Rosoboronpostavka, why not just say Rosoboronpostavka? ITAR-TASS actually replaced Serdyukov’s words “Federal Procurement Agency” with Rosoboronpostavka. At the very least, not everyone’s working from the same sheet of music. But continuing with Serdyukov’s remarks . . .
Unlike large-scale strategic exercises of recent years, the coming year will stress tactical-level training. But Southern MD exercises will test the new Armed Forces command and control system.
He noted establishment of VVKO by December 1, and said it will “intercept any targets right up to hypersonic speeds, both in the air and in space.”
Military police will start working in the troops in 2012, according to Serdyukov. They are still occupied at present with selecting personnel, writing regs, etc. Serdyukov earlier said they’d be functioning in 2011.
The Defense Minister indicated all service functions in the Armed Forces will be outsourced next year.
Without much fanfare, he said the new system of enlisted contract service will start in 2012.
Serdyukov said stimulus pay for officers will continue alongside their newly-approved higher pay.
First Deputy Defense Minister, Chief of the General Staff Nikolay Makarov delivered the collegium’s main report, but the press wasn’t invited to stay.
Meanwhile, today NG sources “don’t exclude” that Anatoliy Serdyukov could soon leave the Defense Ministry to become Finance Minister. There’s talk Russia’s NATO Permrep Dmitriy Rogozin could succeed him as Defense Minister [because he toured the 58th Army with Medvedev this week].
There are always rumors like these. Recently it was said Makarov would be “sacrificed” as an electoral offering to military men who don’t like him. Sometimes the rumors bear out, sometimes not. More important are the reasons behind any personnel changes.
Is Putin or Medvedev likely to find a more effective steward of the military than Serdyukov? Probably not. The fiery politician Rogozin would be a dramatic change from the retiring technocrat Serdyukov. The former would inspire and appeal to the troops more than the latter, but not do a better job. Of course, we shouldn’t assume capability is the leadership’s most important criterion in picking a Defense Minister.
Russian Defense Policy 