Russia has claimed that it will inject USD100 billion into the development of its defence industries during the next decade: a figure that, if achieved, would point towards investment of about 0.5 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product during the years to 2021.
The investment was announced by Russian Deputy Prime Minister (and former defence minister) Sergei Ivanov on 21 March.
In comments carried by Russian state information service RIA Novosti, Ivanov said that the sum had been allocated under the state programme for the modernisation of Russia's defence sector. The aim is to meet the wider goal of the recapitalisation of the national military inventory with high-technology systems by 2020.