MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. A tank regiment and a coastal defense missile battalion will be set up in Russia’s Baltic Fleet in 2019, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday.
"In accordance with the approved action plan for 2019, basic efforts in the Western Military District will be focused on implementing 142 organizational measures," he said at a session of the ministry’s board.
Russia’s defense chief highlighted the formation of a mobile reserve air defense missile regiment as a major organizational measure in the Western Military District in 2019.
"The efficiency of providing cover for military and state facilities in the Baltic operational area will increase by 40%," the defense minister said, mentioning the efforts to set up a tank regiment and a coastal defense missile battalion in the Baltic Fleet, two regiments in the 20th army and the Western Military District’s technical missile base as other major organizational events for 2019.
Major tasks for the Western Military District also envisage completing the construction of cantonments for the newly formed 3rd and 144th motor rifle divisions of the 20th army and maintaining the combat readiness and capability of 23 battalion-level tactical groups, Shoigu stressed.
"As part of the state armament program, 1,272 items of armament, military and special hardware will arrive for the District’s troops," Shoigu said.
The share of modern weaponry in the troops of the Western Military District has been brought up to 54%, the defense chief said.