Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, left, awards the Order of Honor to First Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Sukhorukov at the awarding ceremony for Russian Armed Forces personnel after an extended meeting of the Defense Ministry's board, March 20, 2012.20.03.2012#1070702
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, left, after awarding the Order of Honor to Mikhail Smyslov, colonel and the Central Military District vice commander in charge of military personnel and head of the department for military personnel, at the awarding ceremony for Russian Armed Forces staff after an extended meeting of the Defense Ministry's board, March 20, 2012.20.03.2012#1070701
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, left, awards the Order of Military Merit to Alexander Maksimtsev, colonel, aviation chief and vice commander of the defense and air forces aviation command, at the awarding ceremony for Russian Armed Forces personnel after an extended meeting of the Defense Ministry's board, March 20, 2012.20.03.2012#1070700
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, left, awards the Order of Military Merit to Dmitry Kovalenko, major general and vice commander of the Western Military District's 6th combined arms army, at the awarding ceremony for Russian Armed Forces personnel after an extended meeting of the Defense Ministry's board, March 20, 2012.20.03.2012#1070699
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, foreground left, and Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov at the awarding ceremony for Russian Armed Forces personnel after an extended meeting of the Defense Ministry's board, March 20, 2012.20.03.2012#1070684
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the awarding ceremony for Russian Armed Forces personnel after an extended meeting of the Defense Ministry's board, March 20, 2012.20.03.2012#1070681
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev speaks at the awarding ceremony for Russian Armed Forces personnel after an extended meeting of the Defense Ministry's board, March 20, 2012.20.03.2012#1070680
March 20, 2012. President Dmitry Medvedev, left, and Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov before an expanded meeting of the Defense Ministry's board, at the Military Academy of the General Staff.20.03.2012#1070449
March 20, 2012. An expanded meeting of the Defense Ministry's board, at the Military Academy of the General Staff.20.03.2012#1070448
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko attending the defense ministry's enlarged board meeting at the Military Academy of the General Staff.20.03.2012#1070447
General Nikolai Makarov, General Staff Chief and Deputy Defense Minister, attending the defense ministry's enlarged board meeting at the Military Academy of the General Staff.20.03.2012#1070446
General Alexander Postnikov, commander-in-chief of the land forces, attending the defense ministry's enlarged board meeting at the Military Academy of the General Staff.20.03.2012#1070445
From left: General Nikolai Makarov, General Staff Chief and Deputy Defense Minister, and Anatoly Serdyukov, Defense Minister, attending the defense ministry's enlarged board meeting at the Military Academy of the General Staff.20.03.2012#1070325
March 20, 2012. President Dmitry Medvedev speaks at an extended meeting of the Defense Ministry's board. The Military Academy of the General Staff.20.03.2012#1070324
March 20, 2012. President Dmitry Medvedev at an extended meeting of the Defense Ministry's board. The Military Academy of the General Staff.20.03.2012#1070312
March 20, 2012. From right: President Dmitry Medvedev and Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov before an extended meeting of the Defense Ministry's board. The Military Academy of Russia's General Staff.20.03.2012#1070310
March 20, 2012. President Dmitry Medvedev at an expanded meeting of the Defense Ministry's board, at the Military Academy of the General Staff.20.03.2012#1070309
