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President Putin said the latest personnel reshuffle would make it possible to focus on the modernisation of the Russian military, primarily the country’s Armed Forces.

The President stressed that the Defence Ministry and the entire military had discussed the military reform for a long time. A working group headed by Security Council Secretary Sergei Ivanov had examined military-reform issues for a long time. The President said the reform’s architects would now implement it.

The Russian leader said the development of the Russian Armed Forces was a national priority, and that such development must encompass arms procurement as well as social issues. He said this was motivated by the need to create more compact and mobile Armed Forces. Mr Putin said the country would eventually have an entirely professional army, but this goal must be achieved gradually.

Vladimir Putin cordially thanked former Defence Minister Marshal Igor Sergeyev for his huge efforts in the last few years and said Sergeyev would now head working groups responsible for organising talks on global strategic stability.