MOSCOW. June 21 (Interfax) - Russia will step up the manufacturing of unmanned aerial vehicles and equip all branches of its Armed Forces with them, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"We will continue to enhance the manufacturing of weapon locating systems and provide our forces with unmanned aerial vehicles and robotized strike systems, which have shown themselves well in combat. We will step up their mass production. This equipment should be provided to all levels of the Armed Forces, including squads, platoons, companies, and battalions," Putin said at a meeting with military college graduates on Wednesday.
The plans to increase the qualitative potential of all parts of the Armed Forces will be implemented using Russia's own scientific, technological, industrial, and personnel base, he said.
The Russian Armed Forces need to both develop and perform military tasks now, Putin said. "This sets special requirements [that need] to be met by the officer corps," he said.