MOSCOW, November 16 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's defense minister said Thursday joint regional forces will soon be set up in the country.
"Regional commanders will now do planning and exercise control over troops and forces, and [military] districts will provide management and comprehensive support," Sergei Ivanov, who is also deputy prime minister, told a meeting with Russia's top brass.
Russia's armed forces currently comprise seven military district and five fleet commands.
Ivanov said the military is conducting an experiment to switch over from command based on military districts to one based on joint regional forces, and that the formation of a regional eastern command is nearly complete.
He said the move is part of Russia's defense policy emphasizing the effectiveness and mobility of the country's armed forces to ensure their effective involvement simultaneously in global, regional and multiple local conflicts.
President Vladimir Putin told the meeting that Russia's armed forces must maintain a strategic balance to guarantee its ability to eliminate any potential aggressor.
"Maintaining a strategic balance will mean that our strategic deterrent forces should be able to guarantee the neutralization of any potential aggressor, no matter what modern weapons systems he possesses," Putin told top military officials.
