$600 billion to be invested into upgrading Russia’s armed forces – Putin

Russia is planning to upgrade its armed forces by 70 percent by 2020, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin stated on Monday in Severodvinsk, a city on Russia’s northern coastline.

Russia’s prime minister made the remarks at a meeting regarding Russia’s armament program for the coming decade. The discussion examined the state of Russia’s armed forces, which are still based on ageing Soviet technology and require urgent and profound modernization. This should be achieved through the purchase of over 1,300 pieces of arms and military hardware, Putin stated. Total investments are planned at an estimated 20 trillion rubles (more than $600 billion).“The main attention will be paid to the strategic nuclear forces,” Putin said. “We will also have to provide the troops with modern air defense, communications, control and reconnaissance systems, and start the production of fifth-generation fighter planes and other modern aviation systems.”