MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has appreciated the contribution of those involved in military-technical cooperation with other countries to national security.

In a congratulatory message to the labor staffs and veterans of this sphere, the head of state noted that military-technical cooperation had become an important tool of Russia's foreign policy.

"I congratulate you on the 70th anniversary of the creation of the system of state management of military-technical cooperation with foreign countries," reads the message, published on the Kremlin website on Friday. "Over the past decades, this system has made a significant contribution to national security and the development of the domestic defense industry and knowledge-intensive sectors of the economy and has become an important tool of foreign policy."

Putin noted that Russia firmly retains its status as one of the leaders in the world market of weapons and military equipment thanks to the professionalism of employees of the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, other federal executive agencies and organizations, and enterprises of the military-industrial complex.

"In defiance of unprecedented sanction pressure and unfair competition from the United States and a number of Western countries, you are actively coping with your tasks, exporting significant amounts of Russian military products, paying unflagging attention to the upgrade of production facilities, and building up their research and development potential," Putin stated.

The head of state also expressed his certainty that the development of military-technical cooperation would continue to contribute to "strengthening Russia's international authority and influence, forming an atmosphere of friendship and trust in relations with allies and partners, economic growth of the country and improvement of the well-being of our citizens.".