摘要:As was demonstrated in a number of the IET¡¯s monthly issues of the year 2008, the previous federal
target program (FTP) of switching the Russian army to a contract recruitment basis ended up in failure
in 2007. Moreover, the August events in South Osetia confirmed that, after having spent almost 100
billion rubles in 2003 prices on this federal target program, we failed to achieve the most important
goal ¨C that of the manning the permanent combat-readiness units by contractees alone even the North
Caucasus. As a result, the personnel engaged in fighting off the aggression included not only contractees
but also poorly trained draftees recently conscripted into the army. It all happened despite the
promises given by the highest-ranking state officials that no draftees would take part in the combat
actions.