MOSCOW, June 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Russia will make more investments in enhancing its military capacity to safeguard the country's sovereignty and security if Ukraine joins NATO, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said on Monday.

    "The military-industrial complexes of Russia and Ukraine have been closely integrated up till now," Ivanov said at a press conference in St. Petersburg.

    But if Ukraine joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Russia will have to channel additional financial resources into its military-industrial complex, including its high-technology sectors, he was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

    Ivanov added that Ukraine is a sovereign country, and it is for the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people to decide what organization to join in.

    On the withdrawal of the two Russian military bases from Georgia, Ivanov said two light mountain infantry brigades will be formed along the Russian-Georgian border to enhance protection from terrorist penetrations after the withdrawal.

    "The decision has been made already at all levels and billions of rubles have been allocated for the creation of the two brigades," he said.

    Following months of wrangling, Russia agreed last month to begin pulling its two Soviet-era bases out of Georgia by the end of this year and complete the pullout over 2008.

    In the next four years Russia will withdraw 2,500 personnel, 2,500 pieces of heavy military equipment, 80,000 tons of ammunition, and other military assets from Georgia.

    Most of the military hardware will be shipped back, while some will be redeployed to the Russian military base in Armenia, said Ivanov, who explained that the bases in Georgia has long lost their importance.

    The equipment to be relocated to Armenia will not be handed over to the Armenian side, but deployed at the Russian military base, Ivanov said, adding that "Georgia will take over all fixed assets vacated by the Russian military." Enditem