VILYUCHINSK. Sept 25 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met with the crew of the St. George strategic missile-carrying submarine on Thursday.
The sailors asked the president about further modernization of the armed forces.
"We respect traditions, but our development cannot stop," Medvedev said. Modernization will continue through the delivery of new armaments and structural changes, he said.
"We have a development concept, but it also requires amendments," the president said.
"We will adjust our armed forces and upgrade their armaments and social security of servicemen more quickly because of the current events," he said.
There are two key goals regarding this area, Medvedev said. "Firstly, it is necessary to modernize the armed forces. Secondly, we must upgrade the status of our servicemen with higher monetary allowances, appropriate accommodation and social services," he said.
"These are two vital components of the modernization of the armed forces," he said.
The sailors asked whether the world financial crisis might affect the armed forces' development program. "We must continue to build submarines regardless of any crises. Our country has enough ways and means to do that," Medvedev said.
"As for global economic problems, we have a stable economy and a sufficient amount of material and other resources. So, we are not dependent on anyone," he concluded.