"We should protect our country from any military-political pressure and potential threats. The important task is to equip our nuclear forces with the most up-to-date systems of strategic weapons," the Russian president said in his state-of-the-nation address to the Federal Assembly on Wednesday.
These words were hailed with applause.
According to the president, we should also provide other arms of service and branches with state-of-the-art weapons.
"The relevant quality of weapons directly determines combat readiness of a modern army," said Putin.
As for army problems, Vladimir Putin advocated transparency of military reform expenditures.
"Transparent economy is a necessary condition of the military reform," said the Russian leader.
Having noted that the army and other power bodies had accumulated enormous amounts of property, Putin stressed that successful army modernization is impossible without strict accountability as to how money is spent on accommodation, military medicine and education.
"We are beginning the reform of social guarantees to the military," recalled the president. "They will be able to use the mortgage and accumulation system, allowing every serviceman to buy housing within three years on mortgage terms." Putin also noted that the tasks of military training for unique professions could be solved on the basis of civil education too.
