Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and representatives of the military-industrial complex, at which the main directions for the development of the Armed Forces for the long term were discussed.

This was reported by the Kremlin press service. 

The head of state noted that in recent years, strategic planning documents in the field of defense and military security have been seriously updated in Russia, both taking into account modern realities and the nature of potential threats and challenges.

He drew attention to the fact that the level of training of command personnel has improved in the country, and the latest models of weapons and military equipment are also being supplied to the army and navy with high dynamics.

All planned activities in the army and navy in 2020 were completed, despite the coronavirus pandemic, the Russian leader said.

Putin stressed that the potential of the nuclear triad has also been seriously strengthened in Russia.

“The combat capabilities of the Navy have been expanded, including at the expense of ships with Caliber cruise missiles.

The Zircon shipborne hypersonic missile system is at the final stage of state testing, ”he said.

  • Zircon hypersonic missile launch

  • RIA News

  • © Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

According to the president, the enterprises of the military-industrial complex and the Ministry of Defense have established effective cooperation in the supply and maintenance of weapons and equipment throughout their entire life cycle - from development and serial production to service and repair.

"In the Aerospace Forces, more than 70 percent of anti-aircraft missile regiments have been re-equipped with modern S-400 systems, the next step is the delivery of the S-500 complex to the troops, the tests of which are already being successfully completed," he added.

State armaments program and risks at the borders

In addition, Vladimir Putin stressed that all Russian troops should develop in a balanced and systematic manner, taking into account modern military trends.

“The most serious attention, as before, should be paid to improving the strategic nuclear forces as a key factor in ensuring the stability and security of Russia,” he stressed.

Putin also set the task of selecting samples of promising weapons and equipment that will form the basis of the state armaments program until 2034.

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin

  • kremlin.ru

"The difficult international situation, potential risks and threats to Russia's military security, including in the immediate vicinity of our borders, require constant and high combat readiness from the Russian Armed Forces," he recalled.

In this regard, Russia will continue to improve the structure and composition of the army and navy, actively equip them with modern weapons, military and special equipment.

Vadim Kozyulin, head of the Center for Global Studies and International Relations of the IAMP at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in an interview with RT that Russia's small defense budget, with such impressive results, "is surprising all over the world."

“Russia has a very powerful potential.

With a small amount of funding, it can achieve outstanding, even unique results.

In a number of areas, we are ahead of the whole world.

Zircon missiles, hypersonic technologies, etc. We were the first to put hypersonic weapons at the service of our armed forces, ”the expert recalled.

According to him, the whole world is trying to understand how Russia, with such a small amount of funding, manages to ensure the protection and security of vast territories, create the latest weapons, support colossal nuclear forces and form its own fleet. 

In turn, the editor-in-chief of the magazine "Arsenal of the Fatherland" Viktor Murakhovsky recalled that the country has begun and continues to serial production of advanced weapons.

“They go to the troops, the navy, the space forces.

I think that in aggregate, today the Russian armed forces are among the most effective and modern in the world.

But the work continues.

Both on the creation of those samples that complete the stage of experimental tests, in particular the S-500, and on the creation of new weapons systems, "said the interlocutor of RT.

He also noted that, in general, the Russian armed forces have recently significantly strengthened, both in organizational terms and in personnel training, and in terms of equipping with modern weapons.

“This also applies to the implementation of hypersound, this also applies to the implementation of the technical groundwork for the creation of long-range non-nuclear means of strategic deterrence, this also applies to the implementation of tasks to strengthen aerospace defense.

In all these areas, we are at the forefront of the world, ”said Murakhovsky.