“Drones are not toys,” Russian President Vladimir Putin told a gathering devoted to the air defense industry in Sochi, insisting that Russia would not use UAVs as much as other countries.
“Drones are finding an increasingly wide use all over the world, but we are not going to operate them as other countries do. It is not a video game. However, it is absolutely clear that unmanned systems have a big future,” Putin said, opening a meeting on the development of the air force in the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
The president said that to fulfil air defense orders for 2013, 86 aircraft and 100 helicopters will be added, while next year another 120 aircrafts and 90 helicopters will be brought into service. Overall, by 2020 the air force should receive 1,600 new units.
Air defense is not the only topic of discussion during Putin’s Sochi visit, as the city is preparing to put the final touches on the Winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Games early next year.
The president visited the Olympic facilities to see how far the infrastructure has come along and gave it the thumbs-up, saying that Sochi is ready to welcome the world, as well as the athletes.
All the infrastructure and the stadium have been tested in the last few months through international competitions.