MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has asserted that Russia’s economic growth relies on the strengthening of sovereignty, while sovereignty itself is the result of economic growth.

At his combined Direct Line Q&A session and year-end press conference, Putin noted the growth of the Russian economy. "To a large extent, this is the result of boosting sovereignty, also projected onto economy," he said.

"Sovereignty can be different - defense, technological, scientific, educational, cultural. For our country it is especially important as we lose nationhood with the loss of sovereignty. This is the main thing," Putin said. "The strengthening of sovereignty is also the result of economic growth," he noted.

After foreign companies left the Russian market domestic firms started producing many goods themselves, the president said, adding that this required conducting additional research, with development institutions involved. "This all <…> is the strengthening of technological sovereignty," he noted.