MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Countries willing to engage in defense industry cooperation with Russia are facing unprecedented pressure, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday.
“It’s no secret states that want to cooperate with Russia in the defense industry sphere are facing unprecedented and undisguised pressure. Its aim is not only to eliminate the competitor on the global arms market, but also to undermine the defense capability of separate states, increase their lag in the military sphere,” Putin said at a meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation.
However, Putin said there was a two-fold increase in the volume of signed arms export contracts in 2017 totaling over $16 billion.
“The geography of our cooperation in defense industry sector is constantly expanding, and the number of our partners already exceeds 100 states,” Putin said at a meeting of Russia’s Commission for Military-Technical Cooperation.
“In 2017, the volume of signed contracts has almost doubled and exceeded $ 16 billion. At present, the portfolio of foreign orders for Russian armaments and military equipment exceeds $45 billion,” the president stressed.
According to Putin, the Russian defense industry has enough orders for the supply of the most advanced and prospective defense systems to fill its capacity for several years to come.
“Russia will actively develop defense industry cooperation with all interested countries, including in the most hi-tech segments — on those types of weaponry for aviation, air defense, ground forces, and the navy, which demonstrated exceptional efficiency during the operation in Syria,” Putin noted.
On March 1, President Vladimir Putin gave his annual state-of-the-nation address to the bicameral parliament, the Federal Assembly, in which he outlined the country’s domestic and foreign policy priorities. Among the highlights of his speech was a presentation of Russia’s enhanced defense capabilities, which sparked groundless panic in the Western media as well as caused concern among politicians.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
