Speaking at a meeting on housing provision for servicemen, Mr Putin said that more than 18,000 apartments are to be constructed over the next two years for servicemen who have served or are serving in Moscow, St Petersburg, the Moscow, Leningrad and Kaliningrad regions.
The President noted that, on his instructions, an additional 30 billion roubles has been allocated to this programme in 2006–2007.
This money should be spent rationally and effectively in accordance with the concrete stages and deadlines of the housing construction programme, Mr Putin said.