MOSCOW. Feb 22 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the Russian army has historically been composed of the social elite.
"And not only in the military, but also in science, literature, and geography Russian officers have always been bold enough to be the first," the president said at a ceremony devoted to the upcoming Day of the Defenders of the Fatherland in Moscow on Friday.
"Russia has always had things to protect, its vast territories and huge resources. This often attracted and tempted aggressors. But they were driven back by the defenders of the fatherland," Putin said.
"Today we also need a reliable national shield, an army that meets modern requirements," he said.
Putin pointed out the necessity of upgrading and strengthening the armed forces and the fleet, to improve their equipment and strategic capabilities.
Now, military might is determined not so much by the number of weapons than by the professionalism of the army personnel, Putin said. We are talking not only about the level of combat training, but also about internal discipline and loyalty to duty.
Putin also said that a lot will have to be done to make military service prestigious again in Russia.