By 2006 Belarusian armed forces will be reduced to 65 thousands servicemen

By 2006 the Armed Forces of Belarus will be reduced to 65 thousand people including 50 thousands of military personnel, the Defense Minister of Belarus, Colonel-General Leonid Maltsev told reporters during the meeting dedicated to the Day of Defender of Motherland. Optimization of the organizational structure of the army started in 2001, he informed. In the result during the first year the number of the Armed Forces has been reduced by 3000 people. This figure also includes 10 percent of the personnel reduction of the Central Staff of the Defense Ministry of the Republic of Belarus.

The reduction of personnel will not lead to the less combat potential since the regiments will be equipped with new weapons and machines. The main goal of the army reform is to create the armed forces, which will be ready for the challenges of contemporary war and armed struggle.