Russia to increase financing of govt defense contracts 1.5 times in 2023 - Shoigu

MOSCOW. Nov 30 (Interfax) - Russia will increase the financing of military goods production under government defense contracts by almost 1.5 times in 2023, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

"Given the additional allocation of budget funds, the financing of government defense contracts will increase by about 1.5 times next year. That will allow for a 97% provision of military units and formations on permanent alert with weapons and military hardware," Shoigu said at a board meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday.

"It is important to retain the maximum scale of production and to organize preemptive deliveries to forces. It is also necessary to continue to upgrade and develop new systems for use in the special military operation," he said.

The board meeting will address proposals on the financing of government defense contracts in 2023 and the prospective period of 2024 and 2025.

"The special military operation and partial mobilization have enhanced the requirements of government defense contracts at every level of control over their fulfillment. The implementation of current and new government contracts has been optimized this year. Related advance payments have been provided in full," Shoigu said.

Control over the deliveries of weapons in high demand has been organized at the National Defense Control Center, Shoigu said. "The measures undertaken will ensure at least the 99% fulfillment of government defense contracts," he said.

The board meeting will also address the development of missile forces and artillery in the context of the experience of the special military operation, Shoigu said.

"Effective gunfire on the enemy is an important element of successful hostilities. Missile forces and artillery play a substantial role in that," he said.

"New methods of their combat engagement are being tested during the special operation," Shoigu said.

"First of all, this applies to the use of reconnaissance and assault systems, which comprise unmanned aerial vehicles and existing and future weapons," he said.

"Counterbattery measures are being improved as a key goal of gunfire on the enemy. It involves Tornado-S long-range artillery rocket systems and Malka high-capacity artillery systems. That allows the effective suppression of foreign-made rocket and artillery systems," Shoigu said.