President Putin On Priorities In Developing Russia's Armed Forces

President Vladimir Putin has urged the Russian military to focus on "main priority directions" in the development of the country's armed forces. At a meeting in the Defense Ministry on Wednesday, Putin said that a program for the development of the armed forces should "look to the future" and help create an effective army. The president recommended "eliminating parallel structures" in the defense department and in the army itself and demanded "excluding non-effective expenses entirely". According to Putin, the latter also concerns Russia's international military technical cooperation. "The overall criterion - efficiency and cost - must work in this area, too," the Russian head of state said. According to him, released financial resources should be directed into the modernization and re-equipment of the armed forces, including increasing the potential of the space forces. As one of priorities Putin described improving an armaments program and its "unconditional fulfilment". He urged the government to increase the financing of this program.