Putin sets priorities for Russian weapons industry

The defense industry giant Rostec is a key part of ensuring Russia’s “technological sovereignty” but needs to use the real combat experience in countering Western weapons in Ukraine to make certain domestic systems better, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

Rostec has been responsible for development, production and export of high-tech products, not only for the military but for civilian use as well, Putin noted at the reception celebrating the conglomerate’s 15th anniversary.

“The experience that we have gained in the course of conducting the special operation [in Ukraine] and countering modern Western models of military equipment is very good and needs to be used to improve the quality, reliability and combat characteristics of some types of our domestically produced weapons,” the Russian president said.

Putin said the “number one” task…