CHELYABINSK. Feb 16 (Interfax) - The Ural regions should make use of all opportunities and put production facilities into operation as quickly as they did during the Great Patriotic War amid the West's economic sanctions on Russia, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said at a meeting in Chelyabinsk on Thursday.
He noted that the unique capabilities of the Urals as the "backbones of the country" became quite evident during the Great Patriotic War. At that time, it was possible to launch the evacuated plants in the shortest possible time and provide the country with everything it needed, including weapons and military hardware, which played a key role in achieving the victory over fascism and ensured high rates of economic growth in the following years, Patrushev said.
"Today, amid the economic war declared by the West, we also need to act promptly, make use of all available capabilities of the regions of the district in ensuring the technological sovereignty of the country," the Russian Security Council secretary said.
It is necessary to use the experience gained by generations of Ural residents, human resources and scientific and production potential of the regions of the district more efficiently in order to ensure Russia's technological sovereignty, he said.
He noted that the Urals Federal District is characterized by a high concentration of production facilities (four times higher than Russia's average) and has science-intensive production facilities, an extensive network of educational and research organizations, which creates favorable conditions for the development of the scientific and technological program of the full innovation cycle of production of highly demanded high-tech products.
"In order to successfully accomplish the tasks of ensuring technological sovereignty, it is necessary to develop the infrastructure required for scientific research and developments in the interests of the domestic industry at an accelerated pace. Ensure the introduction of innovative research and development into production," Patrushev said.
The Russian Security Council secretary noted that for several years, the Urals have been developing and putting into mass production equipment commissioned by oil and gas companies, which is superior to its imported counterparts.