All big private companies and state-owned enterprises must be ready to increase output of military products, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a Wednesday meeting with senior officials from the Defense Ministry and defense industry where the Zapad-2017 strategic drills were discussed, Finanz.ru reported citing the Kremlin press service.
“First, we checked our mobilization readiness and ability to use local resources to meet the troops’ requirements. Reservists were called up for this exercise, and we also tested the ability of civilian companies to transfer their vehicles and equipment to the armed forces and provide technical protection to transport communications,” Putin said.
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He emphasized that “the economic ability to increase the production of defense products and services quickly is a vital element of military security,” adding that “all strategic and simply large companies, regardless of the type of ownership, must be able to do this.”
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In turn, Ukrainian observers stated that Russian troops had practiced offensive actions.