Website of the President of Russia: Commissions and Councils

Meeting of Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States

2026-01-31T11:10:06+04:00

Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Secretary of the Security Council Sergei Shoigu, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, Director of the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugaev, CEO of Rostec State Corporation Sergei Chemezov, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, Presidential Aide – Head of the Presidential State-Legal Directorate Larisa Brychyova, Head of the Presidential Directorate for State Defence Industry Policy Viktor Yevtukhov, and CEO of Rosoboronexport Alexander Mikheyev.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues,

We are holding another meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States. First and foremost, we will review our performance in 2025 and outline plans for the period ahead.

I would like to note that throughout this period, the military technical cooperation system continued to operate under challenging conditions. Pressure from Western countries on our partners, aimed at obstructing and blocking their business ties with Russia, not only persisted but intensified.

Nevertheless, despite these attempts, our export contracts were, on the whole, fulfilled reliably. Last year, Russian military products were supplied to more than 30 countries, while foreign currency revenues exceeded $15 billion.

These results create additional opportunities to channel resources into modernising defence industry enterprises, expanding their production capacities, and advancing cutting-edge scientific research. It is also important to emphasise that these enterprises manufacture a substantial volume of civilian products. In addition, I would like to note that a significant portfolio of new export orders was formed over the past year.

Thus, the Russian military technical cooperation system has not only demonstrated its effectiveness and high degree of resilience. Equally important, a solid foundation has been laid that allows for significantly expanding both the scope and geography of military product deliveries. This enhances Russia’s position as a reliable partner, as well as a developer and manufacturer of advanced weapons systems – those that have been proven and tested in real combat conditions.

I would like to express my gratitude to the staff of the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation and Rosoboronexport, as well as to the teams of defence industry enterprises, for their dedicated efforts. I wish you continued success in your endeavours.

I would like to emphasise that the stable and uninterrupted operation of defence industry enterprises, including the fulfillment of export obligations, has been achieved largely due to prompt government support measures. Additional forms of support are planned under a new federal project, Development of Russia’s Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States, scheduled for 2026–2028. It is critically important to continue the effective use of existing financial and other support mechanisms and tools, especially given that military export volumes are expected to grow substantially in line with the plan for 2026, which we will finalise and approve today.

Particular attention will also be given to the work on expanding military and technological cooperation and partnerships. At present, more than 340 such projects with 14 countries are either underway or in the development phase. I am positive that joint efforts in this area will boost the performance of existing weapons systems and military equipment while facilitating the creation of new advanced models, including those that are in demand on international markets.

Colleagues,

Another key item on today’s agenda is the development of strategic avenues for Russia’s military technical cooperation, particularly with our partners within the CIS and the CSTO. This work is our priority for strengthening both bilateral and multilateral relations, as well as for ensuring stability and security across Eurasia.

Starting January 1, 2026, Russia has assumed the chairmanship of the CSTO; this places an obligation on us to engage in consistent cooperation with our partners, including through comprehensive approaches to expanding military technical ties. We have already addressed this issue, and today we will review the current situation in greater detail.

New opportunities are also emerging to deepen military technical cooperation with countries in other regions across the globe, including those in Africa. We highly value our long-standing, friendly, and genuinely trusting relationships with African states. In previous years, the USSR, and later Russia, supplied African states with substantial volumes of weapons and military equipment, trained specialists in their production, operation, and maintenance, and prepared military personnel.

Today, despite pressure from Western countries, our African partners are demonstrating a willingness to expand cooperation with Russia in both military and military technical fields. This includes not only increasing exports of Russian military products, but also the procurement of other weapons, materials, and related goods. This encompasses comprehensive maintenance of previously supplied equipment and the organisation of licensed production of our military products, as well as certain other issues; there are quite a number of them for our consideration today.

Let us get down to work. Thank you.

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Meeting of Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States

2025-05-24T10:50:50+04:00

The President chaired a meeting, via videoconference, of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

Today we will sum up the results of military technical cooperation in 2024, discuss the situation currently unfolding in this strategically crucial area, and identify the issues that need to be adjusted and those that might require new solutions, including in view of the Strategy of Military Technical Cooperation of Russia with Foreign States to 2030, which was endorsed last December.

I feel it important to emphasise that last year, Russia, our enterprises, fulfilled their export commitments in general. In some instances, mutually satisfactory decisions were made together with our foreign partners, while forms and ways of interaction were flexibly and promptly adjusted.

The defence industry keeps producing practically the entire range of military goods at maximum capacity. The key priority remains the same, which is to meet all the needs of the units and detachments engaged in the special military operation.

At the same time, Russia remains among the top five leaders of the global arms market and retains its leading export positions in many areas. This is another testimony to the high quality, reliability and effectiveness of the defence items we produce.

Obviously, they are enjoying growing popularity, and we see why. Practically the entire range of Russian weaponry – from target acquisition and engagement systems to air defence systems, aircraft, unmanned systems and armoured vehicles – displays its effectiveness, undergoing rigorous testing not only on testing grounds or during drills but, crucially, “on the ground,” on the frontline, in real combat.

It is natural that our experience of conducting a special military operation – both in terms of changing tactics and technical upgrading of the military hardware – is being meticulously studied by political leaders, army commanders and military-industrial complex experts of foreign countries.

I should add that most samples of weapons and military equipment are being promptly improved and upgraded thanks to the close alignment and joint work of combat units and teams of enterprises and design bureaus. This greatly enhances their performance parameters in terms of range, precision and fire damage, protection and other parameters.

The development of military technical cooperation should also be regarded as a crucial instrument for the technological renewal of Russia’s army and navy. Concurrently, we should of course consolidate our positions on global markets. The current order portfolio for Russian military equipment is considerable – amounting to tens of billions of dollars – and we must actively augment the volume of export deliveries.

In addition to traditional models of armaments, special attention should be directed towards advanced systems that are requisite for our Armed Forces and hold export potential. These include robotic aerial, ground, maritime, and submersible systems; laser complexes; and troop command systems employing artificial intelligence technology. Such equipment signifies the future of the global arms market, where fierce competition is already unfolding – and will further intensify – and for which we must be fully prepared.

I am confident that we possess significant growth potential across all areas of military and technical cooperation. Previously adopted economic, financial, organisational, and other decisions have demonstrated their efficacy. However, we cannot rest on our laurels, and thus an additional package of state support measures is required to continue developing this potential.

I instruct the Government to analyse this matter, naturally in coordination with the ongoing modernisation of the defence industry.

I have repeatedly stated: we must meticulously plan the work of the defence industry over the long term to balance the fulfilment of state defence order tasks and contracts under military technical cooperation, establish groundwork for civilian output, master dual-purpose technologies, and thereby ensure maximum and efficient utilisation of defence enterprises and their subcontractors.

Another essential point is that in order to advance our armaments exports in a highly competitive environment, we need to improve cooperation with foreign partners, taking into account the nuances of the arms market. This entails offering them not only specific weapons and equipment but also a broader range of services – from technological cooperation and joint development of advanced systems to assistance in their repair and modernisation, supply of spare parts, and training of foreign experts.

Let us get down to work.

The floor is given to Director of the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev. Please proceed.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States

2020-04-10T11:22:21+04:00

The President held a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States. Held via videoconference, it involved heads of a number of the defence industry enterprises.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, good afternoon,

Once again I welcome you all. Our schedule for today includes a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States.

But before getting down to this work, I wanted to meet with a number of heads of the Russian regions and heads of holdings and enterprises of the defence industry complex. Because the more effectively the industry works, the more successfully we can cooperate with foreign states in this field.

So I decided to meet with you and talk about this topic first. We need to understand, I would like to see and hear from you directly how the interaction is going on today, how the work is organised between industrial enterprises, regional authorities and the headquarters of holdings and the Government. I would like to see how this interaction works amid today's quarantine restrictions.

I would also like to emphasise the following. Our actions, I have already said this repeatedly, are aimed at ensuring the safety and health of the citizens. But they, these actions, must be balanced, adequate in relation to the real situation in each region, especially if we are talking about ensuring stable and smooth work of systemically important enterprises, which certainly include the defence industry complex.

I will now give the floor to the colleagues, and then we will continue in closed format. First, I would like to listen to Mr Andrei Boginsky, General Director of the Russian Helicopters company.

General Director of the Russian Helicopters Holding Andrei Boginsky: Mr President, colleagues,

Today, the holding’s enterprises operate within headquarters. Such headquarters were established at the Rostec State Corporation, at the holding and at the holding’s enterprises before the announced non-working days, and each headquarter coordinates its activities with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Rostec State Corporation and with the regions.

As for individual enterprises, using the example of the Rostov Helicopter Plant, I can say that we coordinate activities with the authorities of the Rostov Region in terms of complying with sanitary rules and regulations. To date, the plant’s staff continues to complete on time and in full the tasks comprising the state defence order and meet our commitments in the field of military-technical cooperation.

From March 30 to April 3, we ensured continuous technological processes and the production of long-cycle parts and components at certain locations of our enterprises. At the same time, in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the region, we took measures to provide employees of the enterprise with mandatory antiseptic and personal protective equipment, as well as to create such reserves for the future.

Given the decision to extend the non-working days until April 30 and provide the regions with an option to adjust the operating schedule of enterprises, Russian Helicopters has already received permission from the Rostov Region to continue production.

To date, 30 percent of the main production employees are working at the enterprise. We plan to continue to gradually increase this number. By the middle of next week it will exceed 50 percent, and by late April it will reach 78 percent of the total number of main production workers. Of course, we will keep doing this taking into account the developments in the Rostov Region, in close cooperation with the regional headquarters, in compliance with all sanitary rules and regulations.

I would like to add that the maximum production capacities of the Rostov Helicopter Plant exceed the total volume of orders the enterprise has today under both state defence order and military-technical cooperation, so today Russian Helicopters is able to fulfil its obligations on time while maintaining the regularity of component deliveries.

Also, together with the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation and Rosoboronexport, we work with the region in terms of complying with sanitary regulations when company specialists, from Russian Helicopters in this case, return from foreign business trips. Fifteen employees are expected to return in April; all of them are in close contact with the embassies and Rostec state corporation representatives abroad.

The same standards and requirements have been introduced at all of the holding’s divisions. The total number of employees, the main production workers today, is 30 percent with a gradual increase to over 50 percent next week, and as I said, in late April, about 75 percent of the main production workers will start working at all the divisions. Employees over 65, people with diseases and parents of children who are not attending school at the moment will stay home.

That concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: How are your relations with the regional authorities and the Ministry developing?

Andrei Boginsky: Mr President, we have direct contact with the governors, and direct contact with Mr Manturov, Mr Chemezov and Mr Borisov, so we receive quick responses to all our requests. Accordingly, we also work together to solve the issues that cannot be resolved quickly; we have relevant schedules, and we regularly submit reports on them and do everything we can to provide the employees with antiseptic agents.

Following Ms Popova’s recommendations, we have organised access control at the companies, work on disinfection of premises, so there is only help and support.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

I would like to hear from the Governor of the Rostov Region, Mr Golubev.

Mr Golubev, please.

Governor of the Rostov Region Vasily Golubev: Mr President, colleagues,

There are 25 defence industry enterprises today in the region, including 17 strategic companies. All of them are included on the list of backbone enterprises of the Rostov Region and all are now operating.

Following the Prime Minister’s instruction, all necessary sanitary measures were taken at the enterprises from March 18, and each enterprise enforced the necessary preventive measures. We have been particularly proactive during this period: special headquarters have been set up, workers were prohibited from leaving the Russian Federation and business trips of the personnel were limited. The employees returning from epidemic-hit countries were and are in self-isolation.

We have established daily temperature screenings of workers at their workplaces, and carry out a set of measures to regularly disinfect the premises. The personnel received instructions on the rules of sanitary behaviour in this situation and the course of action in case of identifying symptoms.

During the period the Presidential Executive Order was in effect, the enterprises partially suspended their operations until April 3. We know that it was agreed with the management of the head corporations. Nevertheless, the enterprises went on working, primarily on fulfilling the state defence order. We had an exception, though, which was the Kamenskvolokno enterprise. It has an uninterruptible technological cycle, and it kept on working.

Following your instruction, the regional government issued a resolution with a list of all activities suspended in the region. The defence industry enterprises were outside that list. We duly and promptly notified them.

At present, people are allowed back to work gradually. Enough people are working at all the enterprises which deal with the state defence order. And we clearly understand that, according to the management, the enterprises are carrying out necessary operations under the state defence order.

At the same time, we strictly monitor compliance with sanitary norms. The feedback from the enterprises shows – we conducted a special survey and talked to the management throughout that period – that the measures did not significantly affect the operations on fulfilling the state defence order.

Nevertheless, Mr President, there are several issues which I think should be addressed. The defence enterprises face some difficulties, and we discussed them together. For example, the suspension of suppliers’ operations. For example, Rostvertol works with 122 suppliers. As of this morning, 25 of them are on limited operations.

The next question is the lack of working assets caused by the partial suspension of operations. We have the following proposal: to consider the possibility of prepayment, based on the management’s estimates, of about 80 percent (I am talking about Rostvertol in this case) under the most significant state contracts, which will allow us to finance allied enterprises.

At the same time, the Ministry of Industry and Trade should consider conveying to the regions recommendations to not limit the activities of executors and co-executors of state defence orders within the scope of- their authority in accordance with the Presidential Executive Order.

Mr President, I would like to say the following in conclusion. It seems to me that our interaction with the holding and the heads of defence enterprises has always been productive. And in this situation, we are working together more regularly, analysing the situation almost daily – and not just for these companies, but these are under special control.

Rostvertol has never failed to fulfil a state defence order; I looked into this. And as the company’s management assured me, it will never fail in the future.

However, there is another thing I would like to draw attention to. Today, our enterprises employ 31,600 people, 2,600 of which are over 65 years old. I asked whether their absence would affect the solution to this problem. They told me it would not.

Therefore, I consider it important to fully maintain the restrictions for these people that are currently in effect for this category, and given that management says it will not affect the solution of the problem, we will strengthen our interaction, primarily taking care of the health of people over 65 and all employees of these enterprises.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Ok. Thank you very much.

I would like to hear from Mr Slyusar, United Aircraft Corporation. Please, go ahead.

General Director and Chairman of the Management Board of the United Aircraft Corporation Yury Slyusar: Mr President, colleagues,

On March 25, right after the executive order was issued, we received instructions from the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the state corporation’s management to organise work under the new conditions. These instructions included unconditional execution of the state defence order and signed contracts, combined with similarly unconditional observance of strict public health standards. The corporation set up a crisis centre to combat the infection. We are monitoring the current situation at the plants on a regular basis, and evaluating and making decisions on bringing in personnel to work, and we are implementing public health orders.

Around the same time we stopped all business travel by managers. Those on vacation were recalled.

We have specified the work requirements for industrial enterprises with our colleagues from Rospotrebnadzor [the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare] both at the federal level with Ms Popova and colleagues from the central office, as well at the regional level.

Based on these requirements we made arrangements for the purchase of respiratory protection equipment, above all, masks, respirators and hand sanitizers. We ensured quality (and this is a very important point) cleaning of premises using disinfectants, paying special attention to disinfection of all contact surfaces and common areas. This concerns enterprises, workshops and our design offices, where 17,000 people work in Moscow alone.

We have arranged interaction-free temperature measurement for workers entering enterprises as well as during the working day; we take temperatures every four hours during the working day and remove from work those who are running a temperature or have symptoms of an infectious disease. Cafeterias were closed practically at all enterprises and at the rest of them we use disposable plates and dishes or treat multiple-use tableware in a special way.

Awareness raising is underway among the workers and staff regarding stopping the spread of the infection based on the recommendations provided by Ms Popova.

Signs have been posted in public places to observe social distance of 1.5 metres. Schedules were approved for employees to arrive at work in small groups so as to avoid crowds at entrances, which is a big problem for us. We have a workforce of many thousands. We need to set things up at the entrances in a certain way for temperature screening, symptom screening etc. to clear a shift of 8,000 workers.

Regrettably, we had to start producing medical masks ourselves in order to promptly provide the workers of each enterprise with personal protection equipment. Each enterprise is now producing masks.

Moreover, as many workers as possible were asked to work remotely if their absence would not affect the production process. During the transition to remote working, classified information and security protocol for secrets were taken into consideration. It was easier to do with the design bureaus that design civil aircraft. We transferred automated workplaces to the operators’ locations. The Tupolev, Ilyushin and Sukhoi, where combat aircraft are being designed, organised this process differently. The management at all the enterprises signed declarations on complying with Rospotrebnadzor requirements, meaning the heads of the plants take full responsibility for ensuring safe working conditions. Separate talks were held with primary trade union organisations on wage payments during the non-working days.

During the first week since the executive order was issued, from March 30 to April 5, just like at our colleagues’ enterprises, workers involved in uninterruptible production processes – smelting, galvanics – kept coming to work as well as those in charge of the company’s security. We separately engages departments responsible for combat equipment integrity (it is our top priority, we must maintain the integrity at the prescribed level), they were also engaged.

Mr President, after your second Executive Order was issued on April 2, we, in accordance with item 4 thereof, have organised work to coordinate our efforts with the governors of all regions where United Shipbuilding Corporation has its enterprises regarding bringing these enterprises’ employees back to work. We have received all approvals and reports. These were either written addresses from the regional heads or regional regulations that allow us to carry out this work now. A total of 12,000 employees have again started working and another 3,300 people are working remotely. Tomorrow, 30 percent of all personnel will be working. Our goal for next week is to resume operations at all companies with the exception of the risk groups: people over 65, those with chronic diseases and women on parental leave.

At this stage, we believed that we will fulfil state defence order and contracts on military-technical cooperation. We have a special area for work and the Ministry of Industry and Trade is helping us by monitoring this cooperation. By April 6, we compiled a list of 109 most critical suppliers of units, third-party components, etc. We have sent all of them notices on the need to maintain the current level of production under all programmes, including serial production, life cycle contacts and testing.

This concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Mr Slyusar, are there any issues that you consider outstanding or resolved not as effectively? Do you have any requests or comments for me, the Prime Minister or other ministers? Go ahead, please.

Yury Slyusar: We do not have any requests for you, Mr President. We are addressing our requests to the ministers and to Mr Borisov and all of them are being met. First, this is the centralised purchase of personal protective equipment, primarily masks. One example. Our corporation employs 100,000 people and we need four masks for every person per shift, and one mask to get to work and one more to go home. So, one person needs six masks per day. For us this means hundreds of thousands per day. This is a big challenge but we are purchasing the necessary materials and are producing them. The Ministry of Industry and Trade is helping a lot. Their support helped us get our employees to work.

And we have a complete understanding with the regions. The leaders understand that we cannot stop: we must fulfil state defence order, we must conduct tests, we must commission aircraft. So, we are taking measures to meet the requirements, on the one hand, and to continue working, on the other.

Vladimir Putin: Ok, thank you. Thank you very much.

Mr Konoplev, Shipunov Design Bureau, please take the floor.

Managing Director of the Shipunov Instrument Design Bureau Dmitry Konoplev: Mr President, colleagues,

We are aware that fulfilling the tasks under the state defence order is top priority. Last week, given the actual situation in the region and in direct cooperation with the Governor and the Government of the Tula Region, the bureau organised its work engaging just enough people to keep the company running and bringing in production personnel to fulfil state defence order in terms of bottlenecks in technological processes, as well as work on special topics.

Non-production personnel, a significant part of the design bloc, began working remotely. We used the whole of last week to increase the number of personal protection means, disinfectants, equipping entrance checkpoints with thermal imagers and thermometers. and organise transportation of workers and catering, including the use of disposable tableware. We received a lot of assistance from the Tula Region and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

As per the decision of the Tula Region Governor, not just large plants but also small enterprises involved in the fulfilment of state defence order in the Tula Region resumed working this week, which is important because we depend largely on cooperation. At the same time, inspectors from the Tula office of Rospotrebnadzor verified compliance with the sanitary and epidemiological standards at each company, including ours.

About 40 percent of employees are at work this week. We will gradually increase their number with the exception of people over 65 years of age, those suffering from acute chronic illnesses, including respiratory or heart diseases, and women with children under 13.

Their responsibilities will be assumed by other employees. The personnel numbers will also depend on our partners’ ability to supply components. To minimise risks, we are overhauling the supply logistics and developing a new work rhythm with all of our suppliers.

In view of the stocks of components purchased and delivered earlier, I think we will meet the deadline.

Concerning military-technical cooperation. The instrument design bureau is currently working with 14 countries and fulfilling 43 contracts. Manufacturing under all contracts in effect is underway, we do not see risks to manufacturing the products.

Regarding newly concluded foreign contracts, there are four of them, they are awaiting ratification and prepayment. Financing under these contracts has been worked out with the banks, cooperation contracts are being concluded. We think the risks have been minimised.

That concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you

Next, Mr Dyumin. How do you assess interaction with the federal authorities and defence industry enterprises?

Governor of the Tula Region Alexei Dyumin: Mr President, colleagues,

In following all the required instructions, resolutions and executive orders in accordance with your first and second Address to the Nation, we are closely working with Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov, with the Ministry of Industry and Trade with which we maintain close contact. We are also in contact with the Defence Ministry. We have prioritised not only the defence industry. In accordance with the Governor’s executive order, starting from Monday, we re-launched the entire military-industrial complex under our supervision. We allowed them time to ensure they have everything they need (Mr Konoplev just reported on that) to comply with the requirements of the Tula Region’s chief sanitary officer.

We have also resumed operations in the entire agricultural sector which is essential for food security, as well as in the chemical and metal industry – because we clearly understand that suspension or further restrictions would be very difficult for us. But, with absolute understanding of current developments, we are prioritizing the health safety of our citizens and we are enforcing all the required restrictive measures. We are overseeing these restrictive measures with the help from deployed forces such as the National Guard and Tula’s regional Interior Ministry.

We are cooperating with local companies very closely. At the regional response centre, which is operating almost 24/7, we are meeting with representatives of self-employed individuals, small and medium-sized businesses and, of course, our major defence sector companies, including those involved in the chemical and metal industtry, to provide them with methodological assistance.

We organised production of personal protection gear and face masks using the capacities of light industry companies. They were reassigned to the production of masks and received the necessary materials with assistance from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. We are supplying our own region and, of course, looking after our defence industry companies as we understand very well that they do not have the same options, so we are helping them. We also agreed with our chemical industry companies on supplying disinfectants to defence plants at reasonable prices to disinfect floors, walls and common areas. Also, in close coordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, we compiled an inventory with calculations and sent it to the companies. Five mobile brigades involving our regional sanitary doctors are monitoring the compliance with sanitary and epidemiological measures. We are overseeing the implementation of instructions issued by the Chief Sanitary Doctor, and ensuring that companies follow them.

I would like to report that, despite the fact that we gave our companies time to build up resources in order to operate under the current circumstances and changing conditions, despite the fact that our region is a special case having the oldest average population in Russia and the fact that we directly border the metropolitan area of Moscow and the Moscow Region with active migration, which we are monitoring, based on the requirements from the Government and the federal emergency response centre, we have not imposed any inter-municipal or inter-regional restrictions as we understand that it would have a serious economic effect and that overall it is unadvisable. However, we are monitoring this migration based on the data from the Interior Ministry, the National Guard and our regional security committee which have reported a decrease in migration. But the flow is still there as are the risks. At our local production facilities, we have removed and continue to remove from operations, any staff whose family members (spouses) work in Moscow or the Moscow Region. They have been suspended. Workers aged 65+ have also been removed, as we previously reported to you.

I think these measures are primarily aimed at protecting those people who work at defence enterprises. But we must not forget that these people are also residents of our region. And of course, the measures that the sanitary doctor has prescribed, if these measures are observed, are tightly controlled, we will certainly be able to avoid isolating entire shifts, which would basically lead to a halt in production if this situation continues to develop. This cannot be allowed, so we will tightly control and strictly watch the implementation of these sanitary measures and, in turn, will provide various types of assistance to help enterprises in the defence, chemical, and metal industries and farmers rebuild their potential and bring life back to normal in all areas.

This concludes my report, Mr President.

Vladimir Putin: Mr Dyumin, do you think there are any unresolved issues pertaining to coordination between different levels of government: regional and federal, and between defence enterprises?

Alexei Dyumin: Mr President, my colleague Mr Golubev reported that there is one fine point beyond our control. We have included all the supply chains located in our region in our defence enterprises loop because stopping one or another depends on the operation of the entire company. But there are cooperation chains that step down, they are insignificant, but still have a role.

Vladimir Putin: No, this is different, Mr Dyumin, this is different. We will talk about cooperation separately. I mean, are there any other unresolved organisational issues between the levels of authority, between the Government, the regional authorities and enterprises, with such distances?

Alexei Dyumin: Mr President, as regards the state customer, the Defence Ministry – the control centre it has deployed monitors the enterprises working on state defence order every day. They are using their own resources for monitoring, monitoring by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, and the whole picture is displayed online at the control centre.

As regards our cooperation with the Defence Ministry, the Government represented by Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov, Minister Denis Manturov, there is close interaction, absolutely complete control – now with their executive offices, of course, not with them personally, because they are all dealing with serious issues at the federal level. Based on our regional specifics, we have developed close interaction with their deputies who oversee the defence and chemical industries, and light industry, and we have close cooperation with the Defence Ministry. I believe that the level of control, the horizontal and vertical management and interaction that we see today is sufficient and fully enables us to fulfil our responsibilities both locally and online and to report on any issues so that we can address them together and get methodological assistance and advice.

Thank you very much.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Mr Khabirov, Bashkortostan, please.

Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov: Mr President,

We have worked well with all the defence industry enterprises in the Republic for a long time already. We have 14 such enterprises. As of now, all of them are operating.

To date, we have only looked at a number of cases when, to our mind, work needed to be stepped up to enforce public health standards. To this end, we have set up an interdepartmental commission, which will start monitoring tomorrow. In general, our figures in terms of work scope and production are not bad at all.

Mr President, I wanted to thank you for the enterprise that I reported about. Since then, things have been going well, the work scope has picked up substantially; we have found new solutions jointly with Rostec. Therefore, the enterprise is working very well. I was there last week and they even showed me a new prototype, so they are in high spirits now.

The general situation in the military-industrial complex is as follows – we are working hand in glove with the assigned Deputy Ministers of Industry and each knows his responsibilities. This is why, Mr President, I have no special questions. Thank you.

That concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much.

Mr Rakhmanov, United Shipbuilding Corporation.

President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation Alexei Rakhmanov: Mr President,

As soon as the quarantine was declared, we coordinated work regulations and procedures at enterprises that are completing ships and the orders for them. This work is being performed by limited personnel. We have followed all the rules and instructions to isolate employees over 65. For this reason, we are working now at about 32–35 percent of the total workforce of the enterprise, while noting again that the share is 50–55 percent at the enterprises fulfilling orders.

Next week we are planning to increase this share to 56–62 percent. And we will also start scaling up work not only at the enterprises executing government defence orders but also where civil orders are fulfilled, above all for our fishermen.

We have made all necessary efforts. The crisis centre is operating, we regularly exchange information with colleagues in our key regions, I speak directly with governors and, if necessary, we receive assistance from the Ministry of Industry and Trade. There are no issues requiring you to take action.

Thank you.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Tatarstan. Mr Minnikhanov, please take the floor.

President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov: Mr President, here is my report.

Twenty-seven enterprises are implementing the defence order in the Republic. The total number of workers is 74,000 people, and 49 percent of them are working now. In total, 225 large enterprises are operating in the Republic, and 71 are not, but we will consider this issue.

The most important condition for enterprise operation is health safety. Rospotrebnadzor issues instructions, and after the implementation of all these measures, we provide assistance. I visited the Kazan Helicopter Plant two days ago. In fact, people stayed home for a week and are happy to get back to work now. Therefore, work will be organised in compliance with all precautions, and we have no questions regarding these enterprises, we have full contact.

As for KamAZ, it has resumed operations, and the Kazan Aviation Plant is also up and running. We have direct contact with all enterprises, with all holdings, and we have a full understanding with the federal ministries. There are no questions at your level; we are resolving these issues at our level.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you.

Mr Furgal, Khabarovsk Territory, please take the floor.

Governor of the Khabarovsk Territory Sergei Furgal: Mr President,

In accordance with the resolution of the Government of Khabarovsk Territory of April 4, we determined the criteria for organisations that can carry out production during the declared non-working days. There are nine defence industry enterprises in the Khabarovsk Territory. They are all operating today. So far, more than 27 percent have already returned to work; at some enterprises, the figure is about 80 percent. In total, 104 backbone enterprises have been identified in Khabarovsk Territory. All of them are running.

We are gradually increasing the number of employees going back to work This is primarily related to the need to provide employees with personal protective devices and to carry out measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Therefore, today in Khabarovsk Territory, to provide personal protective equipment, we are producing masks at the Directorate of the Federal Penitentiary Service, in workshops, and also at the Amur Shipbuilding Plant and at the Gagarin Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant. We have produced 9,800 masks at this point. The defence industry enterprises have no wage arrears. Advance payments and wages are paid in accordance with labour laws.

There are certain risks, of course; first, there is some risk of missed deadlines for government contracts, which is associated with a delay in the supply of diesel engines for ships under construction.

We have another nagging problem – underfinancing of the shipyards, Amur Shipyard and Khabarovsk Shipyard. However, a decision was made at a meeting you chaired, so we are eager to see it done.

Overall, the situation in Khabarovsk Territory is under control, we clearly identified and localised all primary sources of infection spread, correspondingly, we are conducting full-scale work on mapping contacts, we ran comprehensive tests on all those infected with the coronavirus, ran spiral computer tomography and discovered a pattern that, regardless of the course of the disease, everyone is prone to pneumonia to various degrees. It is not revealed by clinical methods, but the spiral CT does show it.

All laboratories are operating as of today. On certain days, we run up to a thousand tests. We are in contact with everyone around the clock, we have established an emergency response centre, and it is working. We do not see any particular problems but the situation in Khabarovsk Territory is better compared to other regions in terms of the number of cases. So we are thinking proactively, opening more enterprises, while following all the public health guidelines, of course. We are also in constant contact with Rospotrebnadzor. Generally, we do not have any particular requests. We are ready to get to the new tasks we are set.

Vladimir Putin: All right. Thank you very much.

Mr Alexander Dergachev, Military-Industrial Corporation NPO Mashinistroyenia, please.

First Deputy Director General of Military-Industrial Corporation NPO Mashinostroyenia Alexander Dergachev:

Mr President, colleagues,

Under the threat of the coronavirus spreading, the enterprise has worked to ensure that the state defence order is fulfilled and workers’ health is protected. At present, 35 percent of the workers are engaged at the Reutovo facility where we have the bulk of our engineering staff employed. They are mostly residents of Reutovo who work within walking distance of their homes, so they do not use public transport.

Where conditions permit, serial deliveries are being made. That is the case in Orenburg Region, Strela Industrial Association, where 90 percent of the workforce is on the job. An emergency response centre was established, we are working smoothly in this area with the head corporation – the Tactical Missile Corporation, with the regional authorities, allied suppliers, Ministry of Defence facilities where the enterprise is currently conducting work. The tasks of the state defence order and military-technical cooperation will be met in full and on schedule.

That concludes my report.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you

Do you think there are any unresolved organisational issues?

Alexander Dergachev: There are none at the moment.

Vladimir Putin: All right. Thank you very much.

We will discuss the issues of cooperation and industry support and so forth behind closed doors.

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Vladimir Putin: Colleagues,

Today we are holding a regular meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation. Some of the meeting participants took part in another meeting, which involved heads of the regions where our main defence plants are located, and the heads of these enterprises and holdings.

Obviously, the more efficiently enterprises operate, the more chances we will have to promote our products on the international arms markets.

Today we will sum up the 2019 results and identify the main areas of development for the near future.

Tackling the challenges of military technology cooperation is always difficult. International competition is very high. And additional risks, this is quite clear today, are associated with the spread of the coronavirus infection, which had an extremely negative impact on the entire global economy.

In this regard, we will need to make flexible and prompt adjustments to the forms and methods of work; we will have to look for effective ways to maintain Russia’s leading positions in the export of military products.

As for the results of military technology cooperation in 2019, they are certainly positive. Despite the generally unfavourable situation and tough competition, the system of military technology cooperation with foreign states worked successfully. We not only implemented our plans in full, but also exceeded them by two percent. Military equipment totalling over $15 billion was delivered abroad. The order portfolio amounts to over $55 billion. Our partners include about one hundred countries.

By the way, hosting the Russia-Africa Summit in October last year gave a good impetus. New contracts totalling about $1 billion were signed with African states.

Of course, the successful experience of the combat use of domestic weapons, which, in particular, demonstrated their excellence in Syria, also plays in our favour. Their effectiveness, precision, reliability and low-maintenance are the qualities that determine the demand in the global arms market.

I am sure that Russian military equipment will remain competitive and in demand due to its unique features and characteristics, as well as the most advanced developments.

The strong performance in 2019 is certainly the result of the hard work of defence industry workers and organisations exporting military products.

I would like to thank the labour teams of defence enterprises, all those who are engaged in military technology cooperation, for their high-quality and, I am not afraid of this word, selfless, fruitful work.

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Meeting of Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States

2019-12-16T16:19:04+04:00

Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States held to discuss its performance in the outgoing year and plans for military technical cooperation with the key partners.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

We have gathered today for a regular meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States. Today we will be discussing relations with our key partners in this sphere, as well as measures for the further development of military technical cooperation.

It should be said that our exports of weapons and military equipment have grown to a total of $13 billion this year. This is more than $2 billion more than in the same period last year. Russia’s position on the global arms market is strengthening despite the increased sanctions pressure and unfair competition.

International trade fairs contribute to promoting our exports. During this year, Russia was the venue of seven such events, including the Army-2019 International Military-Technical Forum, the International Maritime Defence Show in St Petersburg and the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2019 held at Zhukovsky.

Our foreign partners could go and look at the latest achievements of our defence industry, including the latest fifth-generation Su-57 fighter plane, the Mi-38T helicopter with enhanced lifting power, the fourth-generation Viking medium range missile system, and the Tigr armoured vehicle, among others. The contracts signed following these trade fairs are estimated at around 35 billion rubles.

The overall portfolio of contracts has been stable at more than $50 billion. A high demand for Russian defence products is a major impetus for improving the forms and methods of our work to maintain our leading positions in this high-tech sector.

We should analyse the situation on regional markets constantly, in real time, noting the buyers’ changing requirements and meeting their growing demand.

The goals of the state policy in the field of military technical cooperation and the main spheres of our activities have been formalised in the military technical cooperation strategy approved in October. I would like to ask the Government to adopt a roadmap on its implementation.

You should focus primarily on the CSTO and CIS member states and our other traditional partners, including those in Africa. They account for over one-third of Russian military exports.

I would like to say a few words about the recent Russian-African Summit in this context. It has reaffirmed that reliable and responsible military technical cooperation is a priority in our relations with our African partners.

Based on the results of the summit, I would like to ask you to analyse the numerous proposals we have received for military technical cooperation, paying attention to their commercial value and applying flexible delivery and payment methods.

In addition, timely maintenance and good repairs are among the key parameters of the competitiveness of military products. We never stop talking about this.

We should stay close to the client and redouble efforts to increase the number of maintenance service centres in the clients’ countries. But we must also consider a new field – the establishment of joint ventures to produce spares for our equipment abroad.

It is an extremely important sphere, which calls for expanding the rights of parties to military technical cooperation and amending the legal framework correspondingly.

Let us talk about all this today. Please, proceed.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States

2019-06-24T19:32:39+04:00

Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States.

The meeting was attended by Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergei Naryshkin, Director of the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation Dmitry Shugayev, Rostec State Corporation CEO Sergei Chemezov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Foreign Policy Directorate Igor Nagorny and Deputy Finance Minister Leonid Gornin.

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

I suggest we discuss the current tasks for this year and 2020–2021 prospects, with due consideration for our 2018 work.

I would like to note from the very beginning that we exceeded the target for 2018 military goods deliveries abroad by two percent; this was made possible by consistently implementing the decisions we adopted at our previous meetings.

Financial indicators of military technical exports have been growing for over three years in a row now and have almost reached $16 billion. At the same time, we retained positive dynamics in the first five months of 2019.

Foreign currency revenues from the export of military goods soared by 45 percent, while the overall portfolio of contracts reached almost $54 billion, hitting an all-time high. Russia confidently takes second place on the global arms market.

Speaking of our tasks, I would like to note that the streamlining of financial, economic, organisational and other mechanisms of military technical cooperation is our key objective.

Apart from arms exports, including those of the most advanced models, we need to more actively upgrade previously delivered equipment, set up service centres on the territory of customer states, and reduce repair-service deadlines.

It is important to expand the successful cooperation experience in the field of manufacturing arms and military equipment. We need to continue implementing joint R&D projects and transferring Russian technology to customers wherever this meets mutual interests. We realise that many of our partners are seriously interested in this. We need to pay more attention to our partners’ wishes to establish their own defence industry.

It goes without saying that matters linked with strengthening the military technical potential of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation and helping its member countries strengthen their defence capability require high-priority attention.

We need to consider new factors complicating our work with partners in the military technical cooperation sphere, including a tougher competition struggle and the increasingly aggressive use of unfair methods of political blackmail and sanctions, plus we need to respond adequately to them.

Therefore a new military technical cooperation strategy stipulating well-coordinated political and diplomatic, financial economic and technical measures has been drafted in order to more effectively organise our entire activities in the field of military technical cooperation with foreign states.

We have to do everything possible to preserve Russia’s leading positions on the global arms market. I suggest that we conduct a detailed discussion of this document today in precisely this context and specify various priorities and guidelines of further expanding military technical cooperation with foreign states.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States

2018-11-08T14:23:06+04:00

Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

In May this year we marked the 65^th anniversary of military technology cooperation with foreign states. I would like to use the occasion of our meeting to once again congratulate our weapon designers and producers, the engineers, workers and veterans of the Russian defence industry on this date. It is thanks to their selfless labour that Russia has not only preserved but also strengthened its leading position on the global arms market, primarily in the high-tech sector, amid tough competition.

Relying on our rich experience in this sphere, we must continue to consistently build up our military technology cooperation with foreign states. Our capabilities in the military technical sphere must be used to modernise and upgrade all our industries, to support our science and to create a powerful technological potential for the country’s dynamic development.

Colleagues,

We have several issues on the agenda of today's meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States. We will also discuss measures to develop military technology cooperation.

In recent years, Russia’s export of military products has been at a consistently high level, around $15 billion.

Our capabilities in the military technical sphere must be used to modernise and upgrade all our industries, to support our science and to create a powerful technological potential for the country’s dynamic development.

Russian manufacturers have the advantage of an unfailingly high quality of products, which have no analogue in their combat and technical characteristics. Russia values its reputation of being a conscientious and responsible participant in military technology cooperation. We strictly observe international norms and principles in this area. We supply weapons and military equipment solely in the interests of security, defence and anti-terrorism efforts. In each case, we thoroughly assess the situation and try to predict the developments in the specific region. No bilateral contracts are ever targeted against third countries, against their security interests.

The changing conditions in which we have to trade in military equipment require some adjustment of existing approaches and development of a new integrated strategy for the future.

We will certainly continue to closely follow the trends of the global arms market, to offer our partners new flexible and convenient forms of cooperation. This is all the more important in the current conditions, when our competitors often resort to unfair methods such as putting pressure on or blackmailing customers, also through the use of political sanctions, so as to force them to buy their military equipment, even though it is more expensive and inferior to our products in quality.

A new factor is the growing interest from foreign customers in modern research and development and design projects, as well as in setting up military products manufacturing at home. We certainly try to consider their needs. Over the past five years, the volume of joint R&D projects to upgrade or develop new types of weapons has increased by 35 percent.

At the same time, the changing conditions in which we have to trade in military equipment require some adjustment of existing approaches and development of a new integrated strategy for the foreseeable future. In a word, in military technology cooperation, we have both serious achievements and an understanding of the large tasks facing us.

Today we will discuss these specific issues in the most important area of our cooperation and make the necessary decisions.

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Meeting of Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States

2018-03-05T22:20:41+04:00

The President chaired this year’s first meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

This is the year’s first meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States. I propose that we discuss current issues in this area and approve plans for the near future.

As is custom, I will start with last year’s results. Let me note that Russia is keeping its standards high, confirming its status as one of the leading suppliers on the global arms market. The quantity of foreign supplies grew for the third year in a row, to over $15 billion last year.

The ability to work even in the face of political provocations and economic sabotage highlights the strengths of the Russian system of military technical cooperation, its sustainability and enormous potential.

I would like to thank the managers and personnel of our defence enterprises, all those who work on military technical cooperation, for the results that have been achieved. This success means even more considering the tough, uncompetitive conditions Russian enterprises are forced to operate under. It is no secret that those nations that want to cooperate with Russia in the military technical field are being pressured in an unprecedented, open manner, with the intention of not only removing a competitor from the global arms market but also undermining the defence capabilities of some countries and further delaying their progress in the military sphere.

The ability to work even in the face of political provocations and economic sabotage highlights the strengths of the Russian system of military technical cooperation, its sustainability and enormous potential. These are the judgments of current and potential buyers of Russian arms and military equipment. The geographic reach of our military technical cooperation is constantly expanding, with the number of partners already in excess of 100 nations.

Last year the value of signed contracts nearly doubled to exceed $16 billion. At present, the portfolio for Russian arms and military equipment stands at $45 billion. This means the Russian defence industry has secured orders for the most advanced and promising defence systems for the next several years.

We have a time-tested reputation as an honest, upstanding business partner who always strictly honours contractual and international legal obligations.

The experience of modern warfare and conflicts shows that neglecting the means of defending the sovereignty of the state and the security of the people is unacceptable. Russia will continue to actively pursue military technical cooperation with all interested nations, including in the most high-tech segments in those classes of weapons – air force, counter-air defence, ground forces, navy – that displayed exceptional efficiency in the Syria operation.

But let me emphasise that we have never placed and will never place commercial profit above the interests of global security. We have a time-tested reputation as an honest, upstanding business partner who always strictly honours contractual and international legal obligations.

Let us move on to our discussion of the agenda.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States

2017-11-24T15:21:03+04:00

Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

Today we are holding a regular meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States. As per tradition, we will start with the current situation in this sphere and then map our further steps to strengthen Russia’s positions on the global market of weapons and military equipment.

Based on the results of January to September 2017, our military technical contract portfolio exceeds $45 billion. Under the 2017 plan, our export deliveries will amount to $15.3 billion.

Russia is firmly committed to its obligations in the fight against terrorism, chooses its counteragents scrupulously and closely monitors the use of our equipment and weapons by our clients.

We must implement our plans in full, and we must also continue to enhance our efficiency in the sphere of military technical cooperation, including by tightening control over the implementation of our contractual obligations.

At the same time, I would like to point out that the Russian producers and suppliers of weapons and military equipment have to operate in difficult conditions and amid unfair competition, which has become obvious and includes hampered financial settlements, logistical obstacles and problems with protecting intellectual rights. Taken together, this results in increased spending and complicates the work of the Russian parties to military technical cooperation.

Arms exports are a huge responsibility for any country.

Despite this, we have strengthened the economic and financial stability of our defence companies and increased their technological and production capacities over the past few years, which allows them to increase exports and improve the quality of exports, both military goods and high-tech civilian goods. In this context, I would like to remind you about the importance of diversifying our defence sector.

Of course, we must strengthen ties with our strategic partners, but we also need to develop contacts with new clients. We certainly want to profit commercially from the sale of our military products, yet the interests of global and regional security and stability will always be our top priority.

Russia is firmly committed to its obligations in the fight against terrorism, chooses its counteragents scrupulously and closely monitors the use of our equipment and weapons by our clients.

Russian producers and suppliers of weapons and military equipment have to operate in difficult conditions and amid unfair competition.

Meanwhile, we have taken note of several alarming trends, which have been growing stronger lately. I am referring above all to the frequent violations of international law by some players on the weapons market, as well as direct threats made to sovereign states.

We see an imitation rather than a real fight against terrorist groups, and uncontrolled arms deliveries are growing in scale. Weapons that are delivered to the so-called moderate opposition here or there today can resurface in the hands of radicals and terrorists tomorrow.

It appears that the hot spots and conflict zones have become a profitable business for certain parties and links in the ramified grey network of arms deliveries to counties and regions with unstable military and political situation.

As I have said, arms exports are a huge responsibility for any country, and all players on the global arms market must be aware of this.

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Meeting of Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States

2017-07-06T16:59:35+04:00

Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues. Today we are holding a regular meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States. Before we turn to the agenda, I would like to mention, or, to be more precise, recall an event that has a direct bearing on our discussion.

As you may know, on June 28 the Kremlin hosted a gala reception in honour of distinguished graduates of military academies. It is no exaggeration to say that they are the backbone of our Armed Forces, highly skilled professionals with the most advanced military knowledge.

I would also like to note that this year over a thousand army service personnel from 30 countries graduated from Russia’s schools of higher learning. About 8,000 foreign students study in Defence Ministry schools, with about a third of them from the CSTO member-states.

There is growing demand in the global arms market for qualified military specialists. In this context the training of military personnel, teaching them to operate Russian weapons and equipment, and building up the export of military services, should remain a major component of the military technical cooperation system.

Furthermore, competition in the world arms market is obviously growing; you know this better than anyone does. The combat efficiency of arms is a decisive criterion for potential buyers. I would like to note that Russian weapons have demonstrated reliability and wide-ranging functionality during the anti-terrorist operation in Syria, something we have discussed. It is necessary to carefully analyse this combat experience both for upgrading existing systems and for developing new and advanced combat hardware.

At the same time, it is necessary to enhance the military industrial cooperation framework itself. For this purpose, major structural changes have been made to the Russian defence industry. Major defence holdings have been brought together under one administration for the convenience of cooperation, production upgrades and higher financial stability.

Several major groups were granted the right to foreign trade, which significantly increases their independence in talks and accelerates contractual work. Moreover, this measure is supposed to make military industrial cooperation easier and more convenient for foreign customers as well. I am referring to the opportunity to directly negotiate with arms manufacturers and to conduct the entire scope of operations from marketing to maintenance and repair of supplied equipment. In other words, these conditions provide for more efficient cooperation between the Russian defence industry companies and their foreign partners for the sake of further innovative development of the domestic industry.

I will emphasise that the defence industry companies that were granted the right to engage in foreign trade are assuming all responsibility for the quality of their products and compliance with the contractual terms of their foreign supplies. However, the Commission and other involved agencies should still be monitoring these activities. It is important to prevent any disruptions in the new procedure and to carefully monitor the operations.

I already spoke about the current use of Russian weapons, particularly in the fight against terrorists in the Syrian Arab Republic. I would like to thank both the military personnel, and the designers and developers of one of our latest missile systems, Kh-101. This missile system has proved highly reliable. It is indeed the most advanced weapon with high precision and capacity, and a range of 4,500 km, which is quite good. A weapon of this class must be in the centre of our attention and the attention of our defence agencies and industrial companies.

All our decisions on supplies of arms to external markets are based on the current international situation in various regions – in order to prevent any imbalances and to avoid an escalation of conflicts. On the contrary, our weapons must be used to contain conflicts at the early stages.

Let us discuss all these topics in more detail.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States

2017-03-22T20:12:33+04:00

Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States.

The Commission’s results for 2016 and the main areas of military technical cooperation for 2017–2019 were the items on the agenda.

Before the meeting, Mr Putin congratulated Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on his birthday and presented him with a collection of poetry by Russian poet and diplomat Fyodor Tyutchev (1803–1873).

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues,

This is the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation’s first meeting this year. I propose that we review the 2016 results and discuss the upcoming tasks in this area.

There have been some changes to the Commission’s membership. We will discuss this too, later. I hope that our colleagues will work effectively. I count on this, and I wish you success.

Regarding the 2016 results, Russia confidently held the second place in the world in 2016 in terms of military exports, which came to more than $15 billion. I remind you that we had a result of $14.5 billion in 2015. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimates that Russia accounts for 23 percent of global arms exports. The United States is substantially ahead, with 33 percent, and after us come China, with 6.2 percent, France, with 6 percent, and Germany, with 5.6 percent.

Thanks to their well-coordinated work, Russia’s defence industry companies not only performed with success on the competitive global market, but surpassed their target objectives. This is the case, above all, for companies such as MiG, NPO Mashinostroyeniya, Almaz-Antey, and Russian Helicopters. Their results are good, even excellent. MiG surpassed its target objectives by 118 percent, Rosoboronexport by 101 percent, NPO Mashinostroyeniya by 155 percent, Almaz-Antey (air defence systems) by 185 percent, and Russian Helicopters by 327 percent.

There is stable demand for Russian military exports and we export to 52 countries around the world. Last year, we signed new contracts for a total of $9.5 billion. Our defence industry’s export portfolio thus remains at the $50-billion level.

We plan to increase Russia’s presence on the global arms and military equipment market, enter new markets, expand our product range, and improve our arms’ quality characteristics. Last year, we signed 18 international contracts in the military technical cooperation area.

Russia’s arms are showing just how reliable and effective they are in the fight against terrorism in the Syrian Arab Republic and throughout the Middle East.

The use of aviation and air defence systems in real combat conditions is giving our flight, engineering and technical crews invaluable experience. The same is true for those enhancing our air defence systems and developing military goods. I want to thank them for their active work and for responding rapidly to feedback coming in when the military goods are in use. Our military goods are being put to use with success not just in combat conditions, in battle, but in humanitarian aims too.

For example, our newest mine clearing systems have been used to clear mines in Aleppo and Palmyra, and our equipment has been used to neutralise terrorists’ chemical weapons. Our mobile field hospitals, field kitchens have proven their effectiveness, as have our engineering systems, which help to restore civilian life and restore electricity and water supply to towns.

Let me note that we must continue to constantly analyse the experience we gain through practical use of our defence technology and improve our military training methods. This approach will help to develop ties within the military technical cooperation system and improve the quality of our defence industry’s goods.

Let’s start work.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States

2016-12-13T18:40:34+04:00

Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Commission for Military Technical Cooperation with Foreign States to discuss measures to maintain and bolster Russia’s position on the international arms market.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

This meeting of the Military Technical Cooperation Commission is taking place in a somewhat new format: Mr Anton Vaino has taken on the responsibilities of deputy chairman of the Commission, and Mr Sergei Naryshkin has also joined the Commission. I am sure that these new members’ serious professional qualities and experience in administrative work will enable them to join in the Commission’s work effectively in this important and responsible field.

Turning now to our agenda, we will first of all discuss steps to maintain and bolster Russia’s position on the arms market. Our country is in solid second place in this sector, and among the five top countries in the sector, we are ahead of France, Germany and Britain. At the same time, we work on this market in what has always been a very competitive environment and we sometimes encounter unfair behaviour on the part of some of our partners.

I propose that we analyse the current trends on the global arms market today, including reduced global defence spending due to the difficult situation in the economy. At the same time, we also see growing activeness from new arms suppliers. Finally, customers’ interests are shifting from buying ready-made products to modern development and production, along with subsequent servicing, on their own territory.

We try to take all of these factors into account and offer our customers Russian arms and military equipment at an optimum ratio of price, quality, reliability, simplicity of use, and genuine effectiveness in actual combat use.

I remind you that the results for 2015 show that we delivered arms to 58 countries. Overall, we have partners in the military technical cooperation field in more than 100 countries, of which 98 have signed international agreements in this area with us.

Exports in the military technical cooperation sector remain high this year. Our orders portfolio remains high too, with orders worth more than $50 billion. I ask the actors in this sector and the state intermediary to take all measures needed to ensure stable demand for our goods.

We need to pay particular attention to where our exports are going. Entire regions in the world face the threat of growing violence and terrorism today. We all know examples such as Syria, Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Russia makes a major contribution to fighting international terrorism and reinforcing our allies’ defence capability, including that of our partners in the CSTO and the CIS.

We are ready to offer our customers the most advanced counterterrorism resources. This covers not just systems and equipment for close combat, but also military aircraft, missile defence systems, rocket artillery, armoured vehicles, in short, everything that can help to fight terrorists, who have established large and well-organised armed groups and often use competent specialists who have regular army training, and use modern weapons, including Western-made arms.

Let’s discuss these and other issues in detail now and start our work.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States

2016-07-08T16:13:55+04:00

Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States.

Taking part in the meeting were Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Ivanov, Presidential Aide Vladimir Kozhin, Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Alexander Fomin, Director of the Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Presidential Aide Yury Ushakov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Mikhail Fradkov, Rostec public corporation CEO Sergei Chemezov, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Rosoboronexport CEO Anatoly Isaikin.

* * *

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

This is the second time this year we are holding a meeting on military technology cooperation.

You know that the demand for end products and primarily technology and personnel training is increasing on the global arms market. Our military universities have recently held graduation ceremonies, and I have noticed many foreigners among the graduates, primarily, but not only from CSTO countries. This is a positive event, and we will continue doing this in future.

We are working to achieve the goals set for 2016 in the area of military technology cooperation. The exports of Russian-made weapons and military equipment have reached $4.6 billion, and our contract portfolio is worth more than $50 billion.

Russian weapons and military equipment have proven efficient and reliable in vastly different conditions. We sell them to countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Importantly, the geography of these deliveries is gradually increasing, new intergovernmental agreements are signed and bilateral working groups created. However, we must continue working to enhance the effectiveness of our military technology cooperation, acting with greater accuracy and coordination. At the same time, we should remember that more energetic efforts in this area will undoubtedly increase competition.

In this context, I would like to express our gratitude to Russian arms exporters, who are working successfully in new realities, despite tough competition and sometimes unscrupulous actions of our opponents.

Russia is investing in the creation of modern defence technologies and expanding the range of its exports, from firearms to the latest air and naval command and control equipment that can change the balance of forces in any theatre.

We produce ever more effective weapons, which remain relatively simple in use and maintenance. This is demonstrated not only at exhibitions. Our potential customers can learn about our weapons’ characteristics during their use at test ranges, at airfields and on the seas. We should continue to highlight the demonstration of our weapon manufacturers’ achievements, promote Russian-made equipment and develop more convenient customer relations.

Other important elements of military technology cooperation are post-sale maintenance based on a modern system of relations with foreign customers and the timely delivery of spare parts.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States

2016-04-10T11:05:25+04:00

During his trip to Nizhny Novgorod, Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

We have a great deal of issues to discuss today. They are important. First of all, I would like to say that the plant where we are holding this meeting has made a very good, serious impression on me. Indeed, this is a new step and a major achievement in strengthening our defence industry.

It is a new enterprise. Everything is well thought out and superbly organised, and the people here are wonderful – the average age is 35, they are well prepared, and there is constant training going on, because an effective training system is in place.

As for the equipment that the plant will manufacture, we need it to ensure the country’s defence capability, because these are missile defence systems and radar stations – that is, systems that defend the country. That is first.

Second. Before we start discussing the issues on our agenda, I would like to revisit a well-known issue – the liberation of the Syrian city of Palmyra by the Syrian Army with our most active support and participation.

First of all, I would like to congratulate our service members for making a serious contribution to the fight against terrorism. Second, there is a purely humanitarian issue – the mine clearing operations. In a telephone conversation with the Director-General of UNESCO and then with the President of Syria, we agreed that Russia will provide assistance in clearing Palmyra, approach routes to Palmyra, and, what is especially important, the historical sites, of mines.

I ask the Defence Minister – we have already discussed this, Mr Shoigu, and I know that you have already started preparations – after our meeting today, to report on what is planned for the near future and how you intend to organise the work to clear Palmyra of mines.

Now the main question. We are holding the first meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States in 2016, and to begin, a couple of words about last year’s results.

I would like to note that Russia has retained its second place position on the list of the world’s leading arms and military equipment suppliers to global markets. What is more, we are well ahead of countries that come behind us. Russian military exports in 2015 turned out to be even bigger than we planned, amounting to $14.5 billion.

I want to note that against the backdrop of the difficult international situation and economic challenges, domestic arms manufacturers indeed are maintaining high standards. Quality products manufactured at defence industry enterprises are highly competitive on international markets. The capabilities of our arms and military equipment were convincingly demonstrated in practice, in a combat situation, in the fight against the terrorist threat.

The portfolio of export orders is growing steadily. Last year, new contracts worth over $26 billion were signed. We have exceeded the previous maximum level that we achieved in 2013. Thus, for the first time since 1992, the volume of the export portfolio of arms and military equipment has reached $56 billion.

Needless to say, ties with our traditional partners play a major role here. These are the CIS and CSTO countries, as well as India, Iraq, Egypt, Vietnam, China, Algeria and several other states. At the same time, we are moving into new arms markets in Africa, Latin America, South Asia and the Middle East. This work must continue.

Last year, we signed special intergovernmental military technology cooperation agreements with five states. Russian military products were supplied to 58 countries, while the total number of our partners in this sphere exceeds 100.

At the same time, military technology cooperation with European countries has almost come to an end. That did not happen on our initiative. We hope that this is a temporary phenomenon. We are confident that it is in the interest of all countries on the European continent to restore open, productive interaction in all areas, including military technology cooperation.

Needless to say, this will enhance trust. Arms exhibitions both in and outside Russia should become an important platform for this dialogue. In 2015, domestic arms manufacturers took part in more than 20 such events.

Last June, the Army-2015 International Military Technology Forum took place in Kubinka, Moscow Region. The event was for the first time held under the auspices of the Russian Defence Ministry, and it was attended by delegations from 70 states.

We must continue developing the military technology cooperation system in a comprehensive manner, among other things, improving its regulatory and legal framework and removing administrative barriers for domestic defence enterprises.

Last year, the procedure for sending military equipment to exhibitions abroad was simplified, as was the procedure for training foreign military and military technology personnel. This year, the managing companies of what are known as integrated defence industry structures will be able to apply for permission to conduct independent foreign trade. A corresponding law will come into effect on July 1.

We hope that such innovations will make it possible to increase exports of Russian high-tech products and expand our contacts with foreign states.

Let’s discuss in depth these and other issues during our meeting today.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States

2015-10-27T14:19:01+04:00

Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

We are holding our latest regular meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation. I propose that we discuss the current situation in this sector and outline our next steps to discuss the military technology cooperation system.

Let me start by noting that competition on the global arms and military equipment market has become noticeably more intense of late, though this was always quite a competitive sector really. Our defence industry companies have felt this change, and this year have encountered instances of unfair competition from some Western countries and companies. It is doubly difficult to work under politically motivated sanctions, of course, but this is not a unique situation.

At the same time, Russia is continuing to develop its cooperation with foreign states in the military technology sector. Our companies now have a very solid orders portfolio worth more than $50 billion. We meet our obligations to our foreign partners consistently on time and to the required quality standards. We have already fulfilled 70 percent of planned deliveries for this year, as of October 1. We have also continued our import replacement programme in the defence sector. Russian producers are becoming less dependent on foreign components. In short, our defence industry exporters are confirming their reputation of reliable partners.

It is essential, of course, to continue filling the order books in this sector, and develop our cooperation, especially in joint production of military equipment and training foreign specialists to service and repair this equipment. To do this, we need to make maximum use of the opportunities presented by the big international salons and exhibitions and demonstrate the most advanced models our country produces in this sector. In 2015, delegations from more than 60 countries in the Middle East, Africa, South America, and Central, South and Southeast Asia visited events of this kind held in Russia.

Talks with foreign buyers resulted in major contracts signed for aviation and armoured tank hardware, and also air defence systems. The MAKS-2015 salon alone resulted in contracts for a total of more than 350 billion rubles. Of course, we must work now to not just consolidate our position with our key partners, but also to take more active measures to promote our products on regional markets, offer flexible payment options, launch inter-sectoral projects and offer modern logistics support schemes.

I think it essential too that we analyse the experience of other exporter countries in the military technology cooperation sector and borrow their best practices, so as to ensure that in the current environment, we keep up our level and quality of cooperation with countries in all parts of the world.

Let’s discuss these subjects now.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States

2015-10-26T16:43:16+04:00

Vladimir Putin chaired a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States.

The meeting made a final review of the results for 2014 and discussed plans for the next three years.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

This is the second meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation this year. I propose that we sum up the final results in this area for 2014 and clarify our plans for the coming three years.

Russia’s military exports came to more than $15.5 billion in 2014. Our exports have held steady at this level for the last three years now. This puts Russia confidently in second place among the world’s arms exporting countries. This is a major achievement on what is a difficult and fast-changing market. International institutions’ statistics put the United States in first place with 31 percent of the market. Russia, as I said, is in second place, with 27 percent of the market. The other players follow at a considerable distance.

I want to thank Russia’s arms manufacturers, who, year after year, maintain our defence sector’s best traditions and design and manufacture sophisticated and advanced military equipment able to compete with success on the international arena.

I note that these achievements are the result of systemic work to promote Russian goods and technology in the military technology cooperation sector. Last year, our defence companies took part in 24 international salons, Russian goods were exported to 62 different countries, and Russia has military technology agreements with 91 countries in total.

The measures taken to optimise the legal framework for military technology cooperation have had a noticeable effect. Decision-making procedures in this area have been simplified substantially over the past year. Russian companies and agencies now find it easier to keep in contact with foreign partners at all stages, from product design to servicing. In 2014, they signed new contracts worth a total of $14 billion. Today, the portfolio of export orders is stable and comes to more than $50 billion.

At the same time, we need to keep moving forward, of course. We must keep setting our standards higher, develop cutting edge arms and equipment, train a new generation of top-class specialists and strengthen Russia’s position on global markets.

Of course, we are having to work in difficult circumstances. More and more frequently, we encounter attempts at direct confrontation, and sometimes these attempts go beyond the bounds of normal competition and are frankly aggressive in nature. It is possible too, that political instruments are being used as veiled means for pursuing competition.

We have before our eyes the example of our neighbour, Ukraine, where the rupture of longstanding cooperation ties with Russia, vital ties for many Ukrainian defence companies, have brought many of these companies to the brink of bankruptcy and forced them to lay off qualified personnel.

We will, of course, continue to develop our military technology ties with all our allies and strategic partners. At the same time, we will continue implementing our import replacement programmes in the defence industry and expand into new markets.

Regarding import replacement, as we agreed and set out in our plans, this must be carried out using a completely new, modern and future-focused technological base.

Our competitive advantages include many years of successful experience operating Russian-made arms in all types of climates. Several generations of military specialists in different parts of the world, in Asia, Africa and Latin America, have gained experience in using these weapons. They know well the qualities of our arms – above all their reliability and a high degree of effectiveness.

Naturally, we will not develop military technology cooperation only with our traditional customers. We have plans for expanding into new markets too. This requires us to organise the foreign trade activities of military technology cooperation actors in such a way as to meet the demands of the global arms market today and be able to respond rapidly to changing circumstances.

We also need to place more emphasis on joint production, as we have been doing, for example, with our Indian partners. We must continue developing a broad network of service centres for after-sales service of our goods. Finally, we must make use of the potential offered by the intergovernmental commissions and working groups representing agencies responsible for developing military technology cooperation.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation

2015-03-20T17:59:04+04:00

Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

We are holding this year’s first meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation, and I would like to begin with a look back at the work done last year.

2014 has shown that Russia has confirmed its position as a global leader in the arms and military technology exports. Our business partners in military technology number over 80 states.

Last year Russian produce was in demand in over 60 countries. The total volume of sales exceeded $15 billion. We signed almost $14 billion worth of contracts, which only added to the already significant portfolio of Russian arms manufacturers.

Russian arms and military equipment remain among the most popular in the world. Our active promotion of Russian military produce on the global markets has also been effective.

Here I am referring not only to legal and regulatory improvements in this area. We are gradually developing new arms markets: primarily those in Latin America and Southeast Asia.

We are working more actively with both traditional and prospective partners. We have always paid great attention to new forms of relations with our customers, and will continue to do so. Here I am referring to the entire range of measures: from the use of up-to-date financial and marketing instruments to setting up joint production facilities (the way we are doing with India, for instance) and modernising the servicing of the equipment.

The import replacement programmes we launched in the defence industry should also play their part here.

I would like to remind you that global competition in military technology cooperation is very high. Both traditional and new market players are being very active.

With this in mind, we need to make maximum use of Russia’s competitive edge, which includes our reputation as a reliable and predictable partner that does not make its commitments dependent on market preferences or political trends. Russia is honestly competing with leading world manufacturers of defence products.

Today new challenges and threats force many countries to revise their military doctrines and modernise their Armed Forces. We have to consider these tendencies.

Russia will expand its presence on such promising markets as the Asia-Pacific Region, the African continent, Latin America and the Caribbean.

I would like to highlight the fact that exports of high technology military produce, especially given the complicated geopolitical situation, is of great significance to Russia. This is important for the renewal of defence industry production, for enhancing research, testing and design work and for the resolution of a number of social matters.

I would like to thank all those who worked in this sphere in 2014. I would like to repeat that you have done well, and we need to keep up the pace.

Let us proceed to the matters at hand.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation

2015-03-20T17:59:12+04:00

Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

Today, we will examine a number of issues related to making our military technology cooperation with foreign countries more effective and will discuss concrete steps to consolidate our country’s position on the global arms market.

Before we start discussing our agenda, let me note that we are confidently carrying out our annual plan for military technology cooperation supplies. Our clients abroad have so far received Russian-made equipment and goods worth a total of $10 billion. This is more than 70 percent of the total supplies planned for this year.

Particularly important is that we are also laying good ground for the future. Our arms makers have concluded new export contracts this year for a total of over $7.5 billion. The orders portfolio will thus stay firmly at around $50 billion. This is a good result.

At the same time, I must note a few points in this sector that require our particular attention. First of all, the general geopolitical situation has become more complicated. Serious crises have flared up in the Middle East and North Africa, and on Russia’s very borders, in Ukraine, a civil conflict, essentially a civil war, is still underway. Despite the Minsk agreements, peaceful towns continue to come under fire and civilians are still getting killed. Many of our cooperation links with our Ukrainian partners and Ukrainian companies have been disrupted. That is not to mention the unfair competition we face from some of our traditional partners in the arms export sector. But we constantly encounter this sort of practice.

Russia has everything it needs not only to rise to these challenges but also to bolster its positions. To do this, we have drafted large-scale import substitution programmes for the defence sector and are building alternative production and technology cooperation ties. I want to thank the colleagues who did such a thorough job of the preliminary work here. We have drafted and approved together this work programme and arranged the necessary financing. It is good to see that the deadlines are quite acceptable and the financial costs are lower than we initially thought they would be. In general, everything is within acceptable limits and can realistically be carried out.

As I said, we need to work actively with our traditional partners and with new customers. We have long-term and strategic relations with many of our partners. For decades now we have taken part in equipping and providing technical service for countries’ armed forces and helping to train their military specialists. Of course, we must maintain and continue these close ties that have stood the test of time. At the same time, we need to raise quality and broaden our customer base in the military-technical cooperation sector. Many of our partners have an interest in this too.

We should make greater use of our country’s advantages in this sector. They include our solid defence industry capability and our reputation as a genuinely reliable partner. We all know that reliability is one of the most important aspects of work in this sensitive sector. If we even just once or twice allow problems to arise in this respect, our reputation could take a serious blow and this would have negative economic consequences. We must fulfil all of our obligations.

Naturally, demand for modern Russian arms on the world market is also an important aspect. Russia can deliver series-production models of the most advanced systems and weapons that have been tried and tested in battle conditions, and that in terms of cost, quality and effectiveness surpass foreign equivalents.

What’s more, we are ready not just to sell arms but also to organise joint production, repair, modernisation and maintenance, which in today’s conditions is extremely important.

It is essential to make use in practice of new forms of cooperation with buyers of Russian arms and military equipment. I am referring to flexible payment schemes, loans, extensive logistics support and other modern and effective mechanisms for promoting our products. I ask you to pay particular attention to this. We already use all of these instruments but we need to expand their range and beef up our efforts. This is all the more so as our partners respond very positively to these steps and show interest in these opportunities we offer. This is understandable because it not only boosts their defence capability but also offers new technological capability. Let’s discuss all of this now. Let’s begin our work.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States

2015-03-20T17:59:23+04:00

Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon colleagues.

The Commission for Military Technology Cooperation is meeting in its new membership today. Vladimir Kozhin has been appointed Presidential Aide for military technology cooperation matters. Please give him all your help and assistance. You all know him already, but I nonetheless introduce him in his new capacity. He will act as the Commission’s secretary now. I expect that Mr Kozhin’s extensive experience and professionalism will help him to quickly familiarise himself with the issues at hand and strengthen ties between the various state bodies involved in these areas and the actors in the military technology cooperation sector.

“Military technology cooperation is one of the most complex and responsible fields of work. It is particularly important to consolidate the positive trends in this sector and ensure proper control over the whole process.”

I want you to bear in mind that military technology cooperation is one of the most complex and responsible fields of work. It is particularly important to consolidate the positive trends in this sector and ensure proper control over the whole process.

Russian arms exports came to $5.6 billion over the first six months of 2014. This is a solid and impressive figure. The total export order portfolio increased to almost $50 billion.

What is important now is to ensure the entire military technology cooperation system’s steady development, keep building up our existing and prospective international ties in this sector, increase Russia’s presence on the global arms market, and help our defence industry to plan its expansion and modernisation and create quality new jobs.

I propose that we discuss today how we can make our military technology cooperation with foreign countries more effective. In particular, I propose that we take a separate look at issues concerning supplies of naval arms and equipment.

Russian naval goods have earned a deservedly good reputation among our foreign partners, and Russian-made ships and submarines are in service in the armed forces of 27 different countries. Our shipbuilders, designers, engineers and workers prove through their work that Russia can design and produce the most advanced and sophisticated high-tech goods.

“What is important now is to ensure the entire military technology cooperation system’s steady development, keep building up our existing and prospective international ties in this sector, increase Russia’s presence on the global arms market.”

Over the last five years, Russia has become a leader in the export of ships and now holds 27 percent of the global market. Russian submarines, frigates, missile boats, minesweepers and other craft have found demand abroad and we see that they can compete successfully on the global market in terms of quality and price. Among our biggest projects, I note the completion of the repair and modernisation of an aircraft carrier for India, which was handed over to our partners in November 2013.

Naval equipment currently accounts for around 15 percent of our defence industry’s portfolio of export orders. These goods have big market potential. The experts estimate that countries around the world will spend around $100 billion on re-equipping their navies over the coming years.

Of course, competition is intense in this segment of the market. Not only are traditionally strong players such as the United States, Germany, Britain and France active here, but there are new players too, which have moved into licensed production of ships.

I think we need to follow all the developments in this sector very closely. I would like to hear specific proposals from you today on how we can strengthen Russia’s position as a leading global supplier of naval goods.

In conclusion, I want to raise one other matter, namely, that of developing domestic production to replace imports in the defence industry. We have already discussed this issue on a number of occasions. Our defence industry still has gaps in several areas. These gaps need to be filled as soon as possible. I know that the Defence Ministry and the Government have already worked through these matters. I want to reiterate that this is vitally important above all for our armed forces modernisation programme. All of this is realistic and will be done. It looks as though some extra funding will be needed, but the amounts required are within our means and will not be a burden on the budget.

Let’s begin our work.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States

2015-03-20T18:00:29+04:00

Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States to review the results for 2013 and examine military technology cooperation prospects with other countries, in particular Ukraine.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues,

We will review the results of our military technology cooperation in 2013 today. As the results confirm once again, Russia is a global leader on this market and is solidly in second place in arms supply volumes. I remind you that the USA holds 29 percent of the market, Russia 27 percent, Germany 7 percent, China 6 percent, and France 5 percent. Russia’s exports of military technology cooperation goods and services grew by 3 percent last year and came to more than $15.7 billion. This is slightly more than the 2012 result.

Our military technology developers and manufacturers took part in 24 international exhibitions and signed new long-term contracts for a total of $18 billion. This brought our total export order portfolio up to a record level of more than $49 billion. Russia supplies goods to 65 countries and has signed and is implementing military technology cooperation agreements with 89 countries. We are seeing rapid growth in military technology ties with our traditional partners: the CIS and CSTO countries, India, Venezuela, Algeria, China, and Vietnam. We are also developing new arms markets too, especially in Latin America.

We continued our efforts to improve the legislative framework regulating military technology cooperation and gave the sector’s actors broader powers. Manufacturers can now carry out product modernisation independently, set their own research and development policy, and establish joint ventures with foreign partners. At the same time, company directors now bear greater responsibility for the decisions they make.

I want to thank the defence industry specialists and workers for the results they have achieved. Their work has shown us yet again that Russia has what it takes to design and manufacture the most advanced and sophisticated military technology and compete with success on global arms markets. It is important that we not rest on our laurels but continue active efforts to upgrade industrial facilities, spread the latest technology, and broaden the scope of research and development work.

We need to be clear about our priority objectives in developing military technology cooperation with our partners abroad. If we want to continue our programmes and promote our goods on foreign markets effectively, we need to learn how to use modern financial and marketing instruments such as state and commercial loans for longstanding and reliable partners, supplies as payment of foreign debt (this is also something we are doing), exports based on various types of offset deals, and high quality service and maintenance.

Exports of Russian air defence technology require particular attention. This segment accounts for a large share of the international market. Russia accounts for around a third of international air defence system supply deals. The share of these arms in our exports went up from 13 to 20 percent in 2013. This is a big increase and represents major progress.

More than 70 countries use Russian air defence technology. It is also the basis for the unified air defence system in Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan. Russian air defence technology is being sold to countries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North Africa. There is also growing interest in Latin America.

Air defence systems such as the S-300, S-400 and Pantsir-C1 are undisputed leaders on the global market in terms of their technical and military characteristics, reliability and simplicity of use. We should build up capacity to manufacture the most in-demand air defence systems and also develop production of high-precision weapons used in air defence.

Let me say a couple of words about cooperation with Ukraine, which has been a reliable military technology cooperation partner over many years now. The serious state crisis Ukraine is currently going through has left its defence industry with practically no state support at all. Two thirds of the companies producing related components for the industry are here in Russia. We all know very well that any potential disruption in these cooperation ties could be critical for Ukraine’s defence industry and for the people working in this sector and their families. This is obvious given the unclear prospects for getting wages paid and developing the companies themselves. And yet it is in the interests of both Russia and Ukraine to preserve this research and development potential that we have built together.

I propose that we discuss these and other important issues for the Russian defence industry’s development at this meeting today.

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Meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States

2015-03-20T18:00:42+04:00

Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Commission for Military Technology Cooperation with Foreign States.

Developing Russia’s defence industry and protecting intellectual property rights for defence industry products were the main subjects of discussion.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

On the agenda today we have a number of issues concerning our efforts to continue improving our military technology cooperation with foreign states.

We will discuss the current state of military technology cooperation and outlook with regard to particular partner countries, our biggest partners, and we will also examine the situation with protecting intellectual property rights for the military products that we supply.

Before we start discussing these items, I want to note once again that we have achieved what we could call impressive results in our military technology cooperation with foreign states, and this is unquestionably our strategic choice and policy, which we intend to carry out in the future. It is important to take the needed steps and create new conditions for continuing to develop Russia’s defence industry and launch series production of new models of aviation and naval hardware, armoured vehicles, missiles and other equipment, which, I particularly stress, must go first and foremost to supply the needs of our own armed forces.

Development of promising new military technology and equipment will help us to expand our military technology ties with our established partners abroad and will lay the ground for Russian companies to enter new markets. Here, we need to make greater use of the opportunities offered by exhibitions and trade shows. In this respect, I note that Russia held several successful events over July-September this year: the International Maritime Defence Show in St Petersburg, in which more than 450 companies from 31 countries took part; the MAKS-2013 International Aviation and Space Salon in Moscow, in which more than 900 organisations from 44 countries took part, and finally, there was the Russian Arms Expo in Nizhny Tagil just recently, which attracted more than 400 organisations from 45 countries. New models of Russian arms and military equipment drew great attention from specialists from all of the participating countries. At the MAKS salon alone, contracts were signed for a value of over $21 billion.

I want to say a few words about the important issue of protecting intellectual property rights. The world arms market is rife with examples of illegal copying of others’ designs, and we have encountered these problems on past occasions. Our task is to ensure a high level of protection for our science-intensive goods and intellectual property, and defend the rights of Russian producers, companies and inventions’ creators.

We must develop a comprehensive system of legal protection for our goods. This is important for each individual producer and for strengthening Russia’s position in general on the high-tech markets. Protection for intellectual property rights will help to make Russian companies more attractive for investors and will open up opportunities for promising new forms of cooperation, including with foreign companies.

We must improve the intellectual property rights protection for Russian arms produced abroad in line with today’s international legal standards. This concerns not only the goods manufactured on the basis of contracts signed during the Soviet period, a case that particularly concerns Eastern Europe. This is an area where we still have problems to resolve, but I am talking also about legal protection of our latest arms models.

Colleagues, Russia values its reputation as a responsible player on the global arms market. We comply in full with the commitments we have taken on and respect the non-proliferation and arms control regimes. Russia’s laws allow us to supply arms to foreign states only in strict accordance with their laws. Russia signs arms contracts only with legitimate governments and for the sole purpose of enabling these countries to guarantee their defence capability and sovereignty.

At the same time, we always make a comprehensive evaluation of the particular circumstances that emerge in any given region. It is our principled position that arms supplies to illegal groups undermine the foundations of a country’s or region’s security or even of the world as a whole. I am sure that it would be possible to avoid many of the conflicts taking place around the globe if all arms producers followed the same approach as Russia.

Let’s begin our work.

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