PREPARE FOR WAR: Putin urges Russian businesses to be ready to help military at any moment
VLADIMIR Putin has called on major Russian businesses to be ready to meet wartime demands at any moment.
GETTY
Speaking at a meeting of world leaders in Sochi on Wednesday, the Russian president made fresh demands for the country’s military security to be bolstered amid growing tensions with the West.
Mr Putin said: “The ability of our economy to increase military production and services at a given time is one of the most important aspects of military security.
“To this end, all strategic, and simply large-scale enterprise should be ready, regardless of ownership.”
On Tuesday, Mr Putin had demanded Russia speeds up its military technology developments to boost competition with the West.
Related articles
He said: “Our army and navy need to have the very best equipment — better than foreign equivalents.
“If we want to win, we have to be better.”
Russia’s defence budget has increased considerably since the turn of the millennium after stagnating in the Nineties, and it now stands as the world’s third-largest military spender behind the US and China.
This year, Russian military expenses will exceed three trillion roubles (£38.5billion) and Moscow now boasts some of the finest military equipment in the world.
It has also agreed to sell to allies amid growing tensions on Russia’s eastern border.
Yesterday, it was announced that Turkey will install a new Russian-built long-range anti-aircraft missile system by 2019, despite Western concerns.
Ankara purchased an S-400 battery from Russia, one of the top defence systems available today. It can fire missiles at a range of up to 400km.
Some NATO members, including the US, have criticised the S-400 system as incompatible with the technology used by the rest of the organisation.
TASS
TASS
US officials hinted the deal may also prevent Turkey from buying American-made F-35 fighter jets as it continues to expand and renew its military force.
But Turkish President Erdogan said Western arms suppliers had failed to offer a “financially effective” alternative to buying from Russia.
He also blasted NATO inefficiency in the matter, saying: “If we have difficulty in obtaining any defence element from some places, if our initiatives are often frustrated by obstacles, what will we do? We will sort it out on our own.”
