HEAD OF SWISS ARMY AND RUSSIA’S CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF DISCUSS MILITARY COOPERATION

From March 15-16, 2010, Russia’s Chief of General Staff and Army General Nikolai Makarov met with Swiss Armed Forces Commander-in- Chief Major-General André Blattman on a working visit to Switzerland.

The two generals visited Andermatt Alpine Training Centre and Thun Army Training Centre for armoured infantry and main battle tanks. Their talks focused on exchanges of military expertise between Russia and Switzerland.The Russian general praised the Andermatt Centre’s high training standards. Swiss troops demonstrated their prowess in alpine combat, avalanche rescue techniques and disaster relief.During his visit to the Thun Training Centre, Makarov observed that Swiss servicemen were already capable of executing combat tasks just three hours after induction. The Russian general was impressed by both the good relations Swiss servicemen have with their officers as well as the dignity and confidence demonstrated by Swiss conscripts.