Russian defense industry must aim at import-substitution - Rogozin
STAVROPOL. April 24 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian defense industry pressured by western economic sanctions must increasingly rely on its own potential, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.
"Now we want to live in a new time. You can see how those historical decisions on Crimea's reunification with Russia have stirred the whole West. Once 'the first swallow' of Russia's revival has flown past, you can see how they are pushing all pedals to stop us, our country, primarily, from developing our defense security. And that means that the first blow will be dealt to our defense companies," Rogozin said at a meeting of the collegium of the Radioelectronic Technologies consortium in Stavropol on Thursday.
This is why, "when choosing a supplier, a strategic partner for supplying machinery, testbeds, as well as parts for sophisticated products, we need to look carefully at pursuing a deliberate and consistent policy of import-substitution," Rogozin said.
"The bet is first and foremost on our own potential. Because, like in the past centuries, when the emperor said that Russia had no allies but its own army and navy, the same is happening now. Only now, apart from the army and navy, we also have the Strategic Missile Troops, which is somewhat reassuring," Rogozin said.
He said that earlier on Thursday he toured the facilities of one of the consortium's leading companies, the Stavropol "Signal" radio plant.
"The overall impression was nice. I could see that the plant is growing and its staff being trained. It is good that the company workers get salaries which are higher, albeit slightly, than the regional average," Rogozin said.
