NOVO-OGARYOVO, August 15. /TASS/. Next year’s reduction in defense spending will not affect the programs for re-equipping the armed forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with the leader of the United Russia party’s faction in the State Duma, Vladimir Vasiliev, while discussing the forthcoming work to draft the country’s budget.

"A law on the budget is to be drafted during the autumn session of parliament," Putin said, adding that there was a "challenging task ahead."

"Considerable budget cuts are to be made next year at the expense of defense spending articles," he recalled.

"This is not related with a reduction of our plans for re-equipping the Army and the Navy," Putin said. "We will push ahead with the defense order and draft a new program, but we have plans for some reductions in contrast to what was in the past. Close attention should be paid to the issues that always arise in the process of drafting the country’s main financial document," he said.