Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu laid the cornerstone of a new military command and control center in Moscow on Monday, RIA Novosti reported.
The National Center of Defense Administration is designed to unite all branches of military command, the Defense Ministry's press department announced.
Work must be completed by the end of this year to comply with an order signed by President Vladimir Putin in late 2013, Shoigu said at the groundbreaking ceremony.
The center will allow the military to make "substantiated, thoroughly developed proposals for the decision-making of the country's leadership, to react to all crisis situations in real time," Shoigu said previously.
During a conference call last week, he declared construction of the center one of the Defense Ministry's top priorities for 2014, second to its primary goal of developing military infrastructure in the Arctic.
"On the level of management of the armed forces much lies ahead of us, beginning with systematic training of personnel and ending with refining the command system through application of the most modern technology," Shoigu said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
