MOSCOW, December 28 (Itar-Tass) —— A new radar station in Armavir will be put on combat duty already at the beginning of the next year, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.
“It will control the air space and the outer space in the southern strategic direction,” Putin said in a ceremony to introduce high officers to him over their promotion to new posts and ranks.
The president noted that the large-scale armament of the troops should be prioritized. He noted that strategic missile systems Yars, several regiments and squadrons of modern air defence systems S-400, Tor-M2U, Pantsir-S were put into service in the Russian military arsenals in the outgoing year, he said.
Putin also noted that two motorized brigades are completely equipped with modern armoured vehicles – tanks T-72BM, armoured vehicles BMP-2M and armoured personnel vehicles BTR-82. Meanwhile, the reequipping of three aviation and eight helicopter squadrons was completed, the car fleet of the Russian Armed Forces were replenished with 3,600 new multipurpose vehicles.
“In the coming year the state trials of five advanced fighters T-50 will be launched, the first missile carrier Yuri Dolgoruky and the nuclear submarine cruiser Severodvinsk will pass the state acceptance inspection,” Putin noted.
“Russia should possess efficient, combat capable armed forces, which are ready to give a rebuff to any threat and any aggression, protect the interests of the country, our allies and secure the global balance,” Putin pointed out.
“No one should doubt that the qualitative reinforcement of the Army and the Navy of Russia will be ensured, the unprecedented rearmament program was fulfilled completely,” the Russian Supreme Commander-in-Chief said.