The Commander in Chief noted at the meeting that the events in South Ossetia have highlighted the need to modernise the army, and reported on approval of the parameters for the Russian Armed Forces’ combat forces through to 2020. These parameters will involve in particular moving all combat units into the permanently combat-ready category and equipping them with modern arms, including high-technology weapons.
Mr Medvedev also said that addressing the social issues facing military servicemen remains one of the state’s priorities. The President announced the approval of a federal targeted programme for 2009–2015 to resolve social problems facing contract servicemen.
Mr Medvedev congratulated all the participants in the Centre-2008 strategic operations exercises on the successful accomplishment of their set missions.