A week ago, while virtually all of Moscow was on vacation, the tension between the Defense Ministry and a number of influential presidential advisors unexpectedly developed into open conflict.


On Aug. 10, there was a meeting of the presidential advisory commission on upper-level military personnel. This commission is charged with giving advice to President Boris Yeltsin on the promotion of generals. It is chaired by the president's advisor on national security, Yury Baturin. However, as Baturin was on vacation, the Aug. 10 meeting was conducted by General Dmitry Volkogonov.


For several years, Volkogonov was Yeltsin's main advisor on defense matters. Now he sits on the advisory commission by virtue of his being a deputy in the State Duma.


An ongoing illness has not kept Volkogonov from playing an active role in politics; on the contrary, it seems to have emboldened him.


At the Aug. 10 meeting, Volkogonov spoke out against the further militarization of the Russian government. This outburst was sparked by Defense Minister Pavel Grachev's proposal that the current commander of Russian forces in Germany, General Matvei Burlakov, be named first deputy defense minister -- joining two others. Volkogonov told me the Defense Ministry hopes to promote another 30 generals to the rank of army general soon. Currently, the army has only two full generals.


Volkogonov thinks the army should have only a single full general. He said the Defense Ministry must be transformed into a civilian body. He also accused members of the Emergency Situations Ministry of taking the title of general though they have no connection with the army.


No one at the Aug.10 meeting opposed Volkogonov, but -- due to summer vacations -- no decisions could be taken. Volkogonov sent Yeltsin the commission's conclusions.


Grachev is rumored to be furious.





Pavel Felgenhauer is defense and national security editor for Segodnya.