TULA, February 2. /TASS/. Russian defense sector companies scaled up non-defense production by 27% as of the year-end, President Vladimir Putin said.

"As of the end of 2023, in the environment of the special military operation, when the unconditional priority is assigned to materiel production, <…> non-defense machinery production increased by almost 30% - by 27% at defense industry plants," the head of state said.

The growing capabilities of domestic companies are fueling this increase, the President said. "This is also important, if not outright critical. Branches of our economy now need new domestic machines, instruments, equipment, promising materials, and the defense sector is able to give all that on a production scale," the Russian leader noted.