The draft decree has already received preliminary approval of the Cabinet and Yeltsin's Security Council, and Yeltsin is likely to sign it Thursday, the newspaper reported.
If signed, the decree would deal a severe blow to Defense Minister Pavel Grachev.
The newspaper said that scheduled cuts would deprive several Grachev deputies of their current responsibilities, but did not give names.
Grachev had previously resisted any attempts to cut his central office, but Nezavisimaya Gazeta said he had endorsed the draft decree.
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