"Everyone comes from this [stable economy of the Defense Ministry]. They count the salary, and new equipment, and place orders - it is very important. This is the base. In these terms, we can rely only on ourselves. Nobody is going to come and give us anything with an outstretched hand. Everything should done only by ourselves. We manage to do that," Putin said at a meeting with graduates of Russian military institutes.
Russia has faced massive sanctions in recent years, but as the country's authorities have pointed out, it provides itself with everything it needs. The Russian president emphasized that the task is to provide itself with products and technologies in all key areas.