28.01.2013
Russian armed forces are ready for a large-scale war, the Chief of the General Staff Colonel General Valery Gerasimov said on January 27, speaking at an Academy of Military Sciences conference.
"No one rules out the possibility of a large-scale war, and it cannot be said that we are unprepared,” Gerasimov said.
His speach covered key issues the armed forces face today – including outsourcing. Valery Gerasimov conceded that outsourcing was necessary, in order to relieve soldiers of certain functions, but added that “outsourcing is only needed in peacetime and only at permanent bases.” He also stressed that these activities would be carried out by troops during combat or training.
President of the Academy of Military Sciences, Army General Makhmut Gareev said that the Russian Army’s approach to outsourcing needed to be completely reviewed.
“We think that the outsourcing system needs to be given a root-and-branch review: laws should be passed covering combat scenarios, their transfer to a war footing, and their full subordination to unit commanders,” Gareev explained. He also warned that unless this was done, then logistics and technical support systems would collapse.
