MOSCOW, May 23: President Boris Yeltsin named a new defence minister on Friday and said he was determined to press ahead with sharp military cuts and other reforms to ensure Russia has effective defences.

Gen. Igor Sergeyev was named as defence minister and Gen. Anatoly Kvashnin was made acting chief of the General Staff, the government said. Sergeyev was commander of Strategic Missile Forces, the country's main nuclear force.

Yeltsin unceremoniously dismissed Igor Rodionov on Thursday as defence minister and savagely rebuked the military high command for failing to cut troop numbers in the 1.7-million-strong military, which is ill equipped, poorly funded and demoralized.

The president met with Sergeyev and Kvashnin at the Kremlin on Friday and stressed that reforms had to be carried out.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.