Russia's Defence Minister Inspecting Volga-Ural Military District

Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov has stressed the important role of the Volga-Ural military district in Russia's national security system.

The Defence Minister arrived in Samara hosting the district HQs in the course of his working trip round the newly united Volga-Urals military district.

It is this district that plays "one of the leading parts in the Russian national security system", Ivanov pointed out. The Volga and Urals military districts were united in order to concentrate the Armed Forces for sheltering Russia from the southeast with maximum efficiency, Ivanov stated.

He also said that most threats, including military ones, came from the south, from the countries situated south of the Commonwealth's borders.