RUSSIAN COMMANDER CALLS FOR CONSOLIDATION OF SERVICE BRANCHES.

Gen. Petr Deinekin, commander in chief of Russia’s Air Force, urged on May 4 that the country’s armed forces be streamlined from five to three service branches by consolidating the Air Defense Forces, Strategic Rocket Forces, and Military Space Forces into one branch under the Air Force. The restructuring — which would leave Russia with ground , naval, and air forces — could facilitate planned defense spending cuts, Deinekin argued. (Interfax, May 4)

Russia And Belarus to Sign Union Charter on May 23.