MOSCOW, June 18 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Army is ready for any developments in Ukraine or anywhere in the world and Russian defense industry can quickly replace any imports, including those from Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a State Duma meeting behind closed doors.
“A question was asked whether our army is ready to defend the motherland in the circumstances of a more complex international situation. We received a positive, life-affirming answer. Everyone’s ready, combat efficiency is at a high level,” Mikhail Yemelyanov, first deputy head of A Just Russia parliamentary faction, told RIA Novosti.
He noted that another issue up for discussion was replacement options for imported equipment in the defense industry.
“I asked a colleague of mine how the shortages of supplies from Ukraine will affect our defense capabilities. He said he was confident that they won’t, that everything could be replaced,” said Yemelyanov. According to Shoigu, Russia can replace its military imports relatively quickly, Yemelyanov said.
Another parliamentarian, Vadim Solovyov noted that “concering the situation in Ukraine it was said that we are ready for any developments and it all depends on specific situation, first of all, the position of our western partners, army is ready to accomplish any task set by the country’s government and the Commander-in-Chief.”