MOSCOW, August 5. /TASS/: The provision of the Russian troops with new weapon systems must be raised to 70% by the end of the year, despite complexities caused by the coronavirus, Russia’s Defense Minister Army General Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday.
"We must 100% fulfil the defense procurement plan and reach 70% for new weapons, while keeping a high level of the hardware’s serviceability," the defense minister said, summing up the results of Russia’s single military output acceptance day.
"I hope that we will finish the year the way we began it, complying with the schedule, and no coronavirus will impede us to end this year worthily and achieve all the targets that were mapped out, put all the facilities into operation and receive all the hardware, equipment, armament and munitions that we need," Shoigu stressed.
Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said that the share of advanced weaponry would reach 70%, following the fulfillment of the defense procurement plan in 2020.
"The fulfillment of the 2020 defense procurement plan will make it possible to increase the share of advanced weapon systems to 70%," he said.
"The plans have been 44% fulfilled for the delivery of aircraft, 59% for helicopters and 30% for multi-purpose vehicles. The plans have been fulfilled 30% for the repair of missile and artillery armament and 43% for multi-purpose vehicles," he said.
Advanced weaponry made up 68.5% in the Russian Army and Navy in the first half of 2020, the deputy defense minister said.
