Putin comments on servicemen's allowances

Military men's allowances are planned to be increased twice next year.Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced this statement at a meeting withthe command of the Russian Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok. According to thehead of state, servicemen's allowances depending on their military rankswill be advanced effective January 1, 2003 and then by 11 percent for allcategories of servicemen effective October 1, 2003.The President specified that "servicemen's allowances will be changed inaccordance with inflation". Putin noted that the provision of military menwith salaries is "an important issue", which would be solved "taking intoaccount the economic and financial possibilities of the state"..