Russia's Focus On Nuclear Weapons Infrastructure Development And Increasing Combat Capabilities Next Year

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. (Wikimedia Commons/Presidential Executive Office of Russia)

JAKARTA - Russia will pay special attention to infrastructure development for its nuclear power by 2023, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.

Shoigu said in televised comments Russia would also work to improve the combat capabilities of its missile forces, while facilities were being built to accommodate new missile systems.

Minister Shoigu further said plans for Russia's 2023 defense procurement would grow by 50 percent to ensure that Russian troops 97 percent were supplied with military weapons and equipment.

"Next year, taking into account additional budget funds, plans for practical defense procurement will grow by 50 percent. This will help ensure that 97 percent constant standby units and formations are supplied with weapons and hardware," he explained as reported by TASS.

Minister Shoigu stressed the importance of keeping production at full capacity, ensuring early deliveries to troops. He also stressed the need to continue modernization and development of sophisticated weapons with further use in special military operations in Ukraine.

It is known, Russia has the largest supply of nuclear weapons in the world, with nearly 6,000 warheads.

Earlier, President Vladimir Putin had placed the territory captured by Russia in Ukraine under Moscow's nuclear umbrella, warning he was ready to maintain Russia's "regional integrity" by all means available.

Meanwhile, the United States said it had warned Russia of the consequences of using nuclear weapons.

Russia and the United States will hold talks in Cairo this week on the New START agreement, which limits the number of warheads each side can deploy.

But Moscow withdrew ahead of the meeting, accusing the United States of carrying out anti-Russian toxic behavior and trying to manipulate the agreement for its benefit.