Russia to increase military hardware production
Rostech – the Russian state-owned defense industry giant – has vowed to enhance its production capabilities to keep up with the growing demand for military hardware amid the partial mobilization, the corporation announced on Wednesday. Certain management decisions have already been taken, it added.
“Today, many Rostech enterprises have already introduced special operating conditions: The employees are working overtime and often on weekends as well,” Rostech said in a statement, adding that it would “further increase its production capacities to meet the goals” set by Moscow. The corporation also expressed its hope that “its contribution to the common cause would help Russia prevail and come out as a victor.”
The statement came as Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded the defense industry speed up their work under the state defense procurement and acquisition program. Rostech is responsible for 40% of all defense acquisition contracts, the corporation said. The defense industry giant produces warplanes, artillery systems, high-precision weapons, communication devices and radio electronic warfare systems among others.
Earlier on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial military mobilization. He said the Defense Ministry had recommended drawing military reservists into active service amid the prolonged conflict in Ukraine and Donbass.
According to Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, the mobilization would involve calling to arms some 300,000 reservists, or just over 1% of Russia’s full mobilization potential.
Russia sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, citing Kiev’s failure to implement the Minsk agreements, designed to give the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk special status within the Ukrainian state. The protocols, brokered by Germany and France, were first signed in 2014. Former Ukrainian president Pyotr Poroshenko has since admitted that Kiev’s main goal was to use the ceasefire to buy time and “create powerful armed forces.”
In February 2022, the Kremlin recognized the Donbass republics as independent states and demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join any Western military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked.
