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Mountain brigades to cover Russia's southern borders: Putin

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MAKHACHKALA, July 15 (RIA Novosti) - Two mountain brigades will be deployed in the North Caucasus to cover Russia's southern borders, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with senior officials from the country's military and security services in Daghestan.

"The whole section of the border from Astrakhan (northwest Caspian's) to Azerbaijan must be closed and properly protected," Putin said.

Putin said millions of Russian citizens spent their vacations in the resorts of Krasnodar Region (Black Sea), and the area had to be protected. The president said the move would help police fight criminal groups.

The president said that organized crime in the region must be stamped out.

The situation in Daghestan, which borders on Chechnya whose southern mountainous areas shelters gunmen, has deteriorated dramatically as terrorist acts and attacks on police officers have risen. The latest terrorist act was carried out in Makhachkala, the capital of Daghestan, on July 7. Ten soldiers were killed.

Putin said his envoy to the Southern Federal District, Dmitry Kozak, would receive the necessary instructions and would immediately start coordinating the activities of various agencies to deploy the mountain brigades.

By the end of the year the two mountain rifle brigades will be stationed in Botlikh, Daghestan, and Zelenchukskaya (in the Republic of Karachai-Circassia that neighbors Georgia). These will be professional units and assisting border guards on the Russian-Georgian border will be one of their main tasks.

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said earlier that they would be rather unusual units, which would comprise contract servicemen only. The units will be provided with light weapons and will have to take a mountain climbing course.

Ivanov said the brigades would replace the Russian military bases which are soon to be closed in Georgia, and would be used to ensure security on the border with Georgia.

"If they (terrorists( appear, they will be destroyed quickly and competently," the minister said.

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