Mr Putin said the state needed an army that would guarantee national security in the present, rather than in the future. He said international terrorism was becoming a global political factor and that the Russian Armed Forces must be ready to combat this evil.
The Russian leader stressed that the army must cooperate more effectively with the other security agencies.
The President supported the proposal by military personnel and veterans on reinstating the five-pointed star on the military banner. He said the Federal Law “On the Banner of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation” would need to be changed. The Russian leader expressed hope that both houses of the Federal Assembly would support the initiative.
See also
Speech at a Meeting of the Armed Forces Command
November 26, 2002