Russia will reduce number of its military personnel in Abkhazia and South Ossetia from initially planned 3,700 in each of the breakaway regions, according to Russian Chief of the General Staff of Army, Gen. Nikolai Makarov.

“Number of the Russian servicemen in those military bases [in Abkhazia and South Ossetia] will be reduced to some extent, because the figure, which was planned initially, is, perhaps, a lot,” Makarov said in an interview with the Russian news agency, RIA Novosti, on June 17, without specifying exact numbers.

“Our troops are deployed there with a purpose to stabilize the situation in those regions and to protect territorial integrity of newly independent states – South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Therefore, there will be not a very large contingent of [Russian] troops.”