MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. The Russian troops received over 5,000 new and upgraded weapon systems in 2021, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Thursday.
"Among them, there are 900 armored vehicles, three advanced submarines, including the nuclear-powered underwater cruiser Knyaz Oleg armed with Bulava ballistic missiles, four surface ships, 10 combat boats, and 17 support vessels and craft," the defense chief said while opening the single military output acceptance day.
The Russian defense industry also delivered 151 new and upgraded aircraft, including 77 planes, 29 helicopters, and 45 drone systems, Shoigu specified.
"Four upgraded Tu-95MS missile-carrying bombers, three Bastion coastal defense missile systems, Pantsyr-S anti-aircraft missile systems, S-400 ‘Triumf’ and S-350 ‘Vityaz’ surface-to-air missile launchers," the defense chief said, summing up the results of last year’s weapons deliveries.
"Advanced weaponry has reached 71.2% in the Army and Navy and 89.1% in the strategic nuclear forces. The military hardware serviceability level is maintained at 95%," he said.
The new combat hardware being supplied by the defense industry "is intensively operated and has proven its worth in various combat readiness inspections, exercises, and applied military competitions," the defense minister said.
In 2021, Russia completed rearming its first regiment with Avangard intercontinental ballistic missile systems with hypersonic boost-glide vehicles, Shoigu said, summing up the results of last year.
"A separate air regiment operating MiG-31I aircraft with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles was set up," the defense minister said.
Work amid pandemic
Proper work was carried out amid COVID-19 restrictions last year, the defense chief pointed out.
"Despite the restrictions over the coronavirus infection, the reliable and proper work of industrial enterprises and military command centers was organized and the required pace of fulfilling the defense procurement plan was ensured," he said.
As the Russian defense chief said, the Defense Ministry’s Thursday meeting will discuss the results of accepting armaments and military hardware for service in 2021 and the completion of the construction of infrastructural facilities.