MOSCOW, December 14. /TASS/. Next year’s priorities for the Russian army will be maintaining the strategic offensive and strategic defensive forces to deter aggression against Russia and its allies, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, General Valery Gerasimov said on Monday.

"The main directions of the further building and development of the Armed Forces will be maintaining the status of the strategic offensive and strategic defensive forces at a level ensuring guaranteed fulfilment of the tasks of deterring aggression against the Russian Federation and its allies," Gerasimov said at a briefing for foreign military attaches accredited in Russia.

Another priority will be boosting the combat potential of the main attack units and the command information system of the strategic deterrence forces with a view to inflict guaranteed damage on the enemy.

In addition, according to the General Staff chief, the country’s aerospace forces will be upgraded for combating modern and prospective enemy’s aerospace attack weapons, and combat power of the joint force groupings in military districts will be boosted.

Gerasimov said that the Defense Ministry’s system of research organizations will also be improved. In addition, it is planned to develop relations with the allied countries, including within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) and Shanghai Cooperation organisation (SCO).