According to Shoigu, the Russian Defense Ministry has "plenty of work ahead," of which Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke before.
"At the end of the year, we will also look at how the Russian president's instructions are fulfilled, given by the decrees of 2012, and, of course, the instructions given at ten May and November meetings in Sochi. For the most part, they relate to the rearmament. But, of course, there are serious instructions for the development of certain regions. I'm talking about the Arctic, about the island part in the east of Russia and, of course, about everything related to the strengthening of our western borders," Shoigu said.
Read alsoRussia talks about plans for Donbas in 2018He stressed that "a lot of work has already been done that is related to the placement of [army] groupings."
"And here I cannot fail to note the active work by district commanders, engineers, and, of course, those who were engaged in the deployment of divisions," Shoigu said.
He also said that the Russian Ministry of Defense had been equipped with modern weapons by 59.5%, while arms are 94% ready.
As UNIAN reported, on February 22 Shoigu said that Russia intended to complete this year the deployment of three divisions on the border with Ukraine.
According to UNIAN, near the border with Ukraine, the headquarters of these compounds are deployed in the town of Yelnya (Smolensk region), the town of Boguchar (Voronezh region), as well as in Novocherkassk and the settlement of Kadamovsky (Rostov region).
Read alsoPutin has reasons not to start large-scale war - political scientistUNIAN memo. In March 2014, after the deployment of troops, Russia annexed the Ukrainian Crimea and began to destabilize the situation in Donbas. The Russian Federation has been supplying the “DPR” and “LPR” terrorists with weapons and deploying mercenaries and its regular troops to Donbas. Since mid-April 2014, hostilities have been ongoing in Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine.
