Russia to strengthen armed forces to tackle challenges from outside: Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called for strengthening the country's armed forces to tackle challenges posed by other countries.

"We can see how other countries are openly declaring their geopolitical claims without stopping short of open interference in the internal affairs of independent states. In addition to that, they are actively building up and modernizing their military arsenals," he was quoted by TASS as saying at a meeting of the Russian Military-Industrial Commission.

The president compared Russia's defense spending with those of other world powers, stressing that "these are incommensurable quantities. They are just incommensurable. They spend many times more than we do."

"We can and should respond to this challenge but without being dragged into a costly arms race," Putin said, adding "Russia is not threatening anybody and seeks to resolve all disputable issues at the negotiating table. This is the way we are going to act in future. We are going to stick exactly to this kind of policy."

The Russian head of state asked the country's military industry to focus on the development of high technologies to protect Russia 's sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests.

"We are going to further strengthen our armed forces and the military organization on the whole, to take all necessary measures to make our armed forces more modern, mobile, well-equipped and capable of fulfilling the main task - that is to neutralize risks and political threats as well as potential threats to the security of our country," Putin said.

To this end, the president pledged to increase the financing of the foundation for advanced research projects in the defense industry.

"In 2015, the foundation needs to focus its efforts on the accelerated development of the breakthrough industrial know-how which must match the new, sixth technological mode," he was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency, adding that these technologies will determine the production of new-generation weapons and military hardware.

Meanwhile, Putin signed a decree on the status of the general designer of armaments.

"The general designers will spearhead the efforts to create strategically important weapon systems," said the president. Enditem