ST. PETERSBURG, August 14. /TASS/. Shipboard equipment earlier supplied by Western nations is being proactively substituted by indigenous equipment and components from friendly countries, Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Viktor Evtukhov told reporters.

"We have gained very good momentum at present. Almost all shipyards are working in very good conditions. Equipment that the Western countries refused to supply because of sanctions is promptly substituted either by domestic equipment we have already managed to substitute in terms of import within the framework of our programs or from friendly countries, from China in the first instance," Evtukhov said.

The program of replacing the marine equipment components is being proactively implemented now, the deputy minister said. "Therefore I strongly expect we will be able to [substitute] in the coming two - three years the bulk of machinery and the bulk of equipment used on board of our vessels," he noted.