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Russian government has no intention to cut budget spending on defense sector

"The defense-industrial complex’s outlook is very good," Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev noted

KIROV, January 31. /TASS/. The Russian government has no intention in the coming years to cut the volume of budget funds allocated for the development of the domestic defense and industrial sector, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday.

"The funds in our budget have been set aside for the coming years and their volume won’t be changed," the premier told a meeting on the development of Russia’s defense and industrial sector.

The Russian government has started work on elaborating a program of the development of the domestic defense and industrial sector through 2025, the premier said.

"Currently several programs are being implemented for upgrading the defense-industrial complex alongside the program for the country’s military-industrial development. The program which is still in the drafting phase will take effect as of 2018 and last till 2025. It will incorporate all required resources alongside the armaments development program," Medvedev said.

"The defense-industrial complex’s outlook is very good. I’m telling you this as the prime minister," Medvedev said.

Medvedev said the combination of the military-industrial complex upgrade and the armaments procurement program will provide the financial resource that will enable the defense industrial complex to develop.

"Just 10-15 years ago nobody could have imagined that we will be creating such production facilities, increasing the defense contract and improving the program for upgrading weapons manufacturing enterprises," he said.

Production indicators of Russian defense industry grow

According to preliminary data, production indicators of the Russian defense industry grew by more than 10% as of the last year-end.

"According to preliminary results of operations, we expect production output growth rate by more than 10% as of 2016 year-end," Medvedev said. This is a "sound" result, he added.

Dynamics in delivery of the government defense order is also positive, the prime minister said.

"Results of delivering the defense order evidence that we are on the right track - this pertains to armament, materiel and special machinery," Medvedev said. "A very good level was achieved there - about 99% [of the government defense order delivery - TASS]," he said. This is 1.5% higher than in 2015 and 3% above the 2014 year indicator, the Prime Minister added.