| | Does Russia Need Strategic Rocket Forces? |
 | | On June 21 2000, Mikhail Leontyev stated in the TV program "Odnako" ("However") that the Russian Armed Forces General Staff made an offer to increase appropriations for and numbers of conventional armed forces in the nearest future at the expense of appropriations for the Strategic Rocket Forces (SRF). |
 | | Nevertheless, attempts to solve existing and really sharp problems of the conventional forces at the expense of drastic reduction of the SNF (mainly, the SRF) and reallocate the freed resources to development of the conventional forces can bring even more harm to the national security. |
 | | Moreover, it is necessary to acknowledge impossibility to ensure development, maintenance and an acceptable level of readiness of conventional forces of the existing size and structure, taking into consideration the realistic prognosis of the level of military expenditures. |
| www.armscontrol.ru /start/exclusive/pbr0712.htm (1018 words) |