"As always, any crisis implies not only difficulties, but also new opportunities. Developing civilian products, the areas in the direction of which we are absolutely clearly going are those areas where import substitution is now necessary. For example, the equipment that we develop and manufacture for Gazprom has never been produced in Russia or in the Soviet Union. This is pure import substitution to ensure offshore oil and gas production," Shatrakov said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa summit, Shatrakov said that such import substitution work has been ongoing for several years and will continue.
"Together with the customer, we have determined the technical requirements for the products, prepared our own facilities for the production of this equipment. And this year we are entering the testing of this equipment and the serial delivery of the first sets. Considering that this equipment has never been produced in Russia, this is quite a powerful technological breakthrough," Shatrakov told Sputnik.