Russia boosted weapons, ammunition production 22 times since start of Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin

Moscow: In the course of Special Military Operation in Ukraine since February 2022, Russia has boosted the production of arms and ammunition by 22 times, President Vladimir Putin said Friday.

The tank production has grown 2.2 times, military aircraft 4.6 times, while production of strike weapons and ammunition has grown by a whopping 22 times, Putin said in his televised statement at a Kremlin meeting with defence industry officials.

As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, he said defence industry enterprises supplying the troops involved in the operations are getting all the necessary equipment as the nature of war is constantly evolving.

“State support measures have allowed them to quickly strengthen their material and technical base, resulting in a significant increase in the production of highly sought-after weapons since 2022,” Putin was quoted as saying by state-run RIA Novosti.

Production of armoured fighting and personnel carriers - BMP and APC has grown - 3.7 times; electronic warfare equipment—by 12.5 times; rocket artillery weapons - 9.6 times.

“This is all the result of the joint efforts of defense industry enterprises, and of course, the entire economy. Without development and a stable financial situation, and without a stable economy overall, this would have been impossible,” Putin underscored.

At the same time, the experience gained during the special military operation (SMO) is being fully utilised in the formation of the new image of the military-industrial complex, the president noted.

“During the special military operation, the nature, forms, and methods of conducting combat operations are constantly changing,” he explained.

Putin cited reducing production costs as a key area for future work. He also called for continued development of weapons testing and proving grounds, as well as the active implementation of artificial intelligence.