MOSCOW, December 24. /TASS/. Russia has started work on developing Shturm and Soratnik heavy-and medium-class combat robotic vehicles, Army Commander-in-Chief Army General Oleg Salyukov said on Wednesday.

"As of now, experimental design work has started on developing the Shturm and Soratnik heavy-and medium-class robotic vehicles," he told reporters after the Defense Ministry’s enlarged board meeting in the National Defense Control Center in Moscow.

"The effort to introduce combat robotic vehicles into troops and develop the theory of their combat employment undoubtedly contributes to changing the procedure and the methods for all-arms formations to accomplish their tactical tasks in battle," the general added.

In 2019, Russia successfully completed the state trials of the latest two modifications of Taifun-K armored vehicles in their 4x4 and 6x6 wheel configurations with a remote-controlled combat module, Salyukov said.

"There are plans to complete the state trials of modern upgraded armored vehicles in the near future and start the serial deliveries of the new T-90M tank and the modernized infantry fighting vehicle," the Army chief said.

Armata and Kurganets combat platforms

Russia’s Defense Ministry has signed contracts on the delivery of a pilot batch of the latest Armata tank, Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle and Bumerang armored personnel carrier for their operational evaluation in the troops, Salyukov said.

In addition, the new Koalitsiya-SV multiservice force artillery system is at the final stage of its development. Also, the defense industry is completing its R&D work ‘Nabrosok" to develop a whole series of highly mobile artillery and mortar armament based on various types of the chassis, including for operation in the Arctic region, the Army commander-in-chief said.