Russian Nuclear Weapons: Past, Present, and Future - Strategic ...

size-fits-all approach, although this was later successfully
resisted by the VDV, despite the fact that it had
always deployed at sub-divisional level with a brigade
headquarters in its recent combat history. 12 The
air force had to shed 50,000 positions, 13 or around 30
percent of existing air force officer positions. In January
2009, Colonel-General Alexander Zelin, the Commander
in Chief (CINC) of the Voyenno-Vozdushnyye
Sily (VVS) confirmed that the restructuring of the air
force was underway: reforming 80 percent of units,
among which 10 percent were to be disbanded, 22
percent redeployed, and 68 percent would experience
staff changes. 14 The overall driving force in the transition
to the brigade-based structure was to enhance the
maneuverability of the ground forces. 15
Serdyukov also targeted the navy. Initially this
centered on relocating its headquarters to St. Petersburg,
though the costly move was postponed in response
to concern over the recession and opposition
from serving admirals. 16 In April 2009, the transfer
process was “suspended”: of the main command’s
800 staffers, only 20 favored the move. 17 Rear Services
were downsized, losing 40 percent of all officers, including
a number of generals: 12,500 posts including
5,600 officers and warrant officers. Between 23 to 40
percent of all civilian posts were eliminated, 18 leaving
around 300 individuals in the Rear Services central
apparatus. 19 Many of its functions were civilianized,
ranging from catering services, using civilian enterprises
to provide fuel, to the provision of bathing and
laundry services for the troops. 20
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