MOSCOW, June 12 (UPI) -- Russia plans its most significant military overhaul in generations to better deal with regional wars and terrorism, officials say.
Analysts reportedly welcome the move as a long overdue transition from a cumbersome military machine designed for a land war in Europe though many officers are said to feel they are being cut adrift.
Senior officials told The New York Times the war in Georgia last August exposed severe deficiencies, despite Russia's easy victory.
Such a shift, however, is expected to produce considerable trimming of high-level personnel, observers say, sending tens of thousands of disgruntled former officers into an economy suffering from a financial crisis.
The Russian armed forces have 1.1 million people now, including 360,000 officers. The plan is to reduce the officer corps to 150,000, officials said.
The plan has stirred sporadic demonstrations by officers and some longtime generals have resigned in protest or were pushed out.
