#4 - JRL 7179
Putin instructs government to speed up professional army plan
ITAR-TASS

Moscow, 12 May: Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the government to complete, by 1 June, the consultations on the plan to transfer the armed forces onto a contract basis.

"I ask you not to forget about this plan, there is not much time left," the head of state told government members at a conference held today.

He instructed the Defence Ministry and the Finance Ministry to let the government have appropriate recommendations.