Medvedev: Russia Signed 280,000 Military Service Contracts This Year

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, revealed on Sunday that about 280,000 contracts for professional military service have been signed since the beginning of the year. During a visit to the Far East of Russia, Medvedev stated that he met with local officials to work on efforts to strengthen the armed forces. TASS news agency reported Medvedev saying, "According to the Ministry of Defense, since January 1, approximately 280,000 have been accepted into the armed forces on a contractual basis," which included reservists.