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Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2005

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MOSCOW -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has plans to re-equip the Russian Army, particularly in areas of air defense.

Putin, speaking on live television and radio from Moscow, said Russia would continue providing its army with mobile missile systems, state-of-the-art tanks, new and modernized air defense systems.

"We are developing and will deploy new strategic high-precision systems that have no rivals across the globe," Putin said. "These hypersonic systems will be capable of changing the course and height. They will be practically invulnerable, including to air defense systems."

The pledge to fortify the Russian military seems driven by economic policy, and it marks a move forward for the former Cold War superpower following several years of relative dormancy. Putin said only a few years ago, Russia did not buy anything for the army.

"We spend more money on re-equipping Armed Forces than we receive in profits from arms exports," Putin said. "A great deal has been done in the past few years to restore the defense industry's financial health," said the Russian president, adding this included debt settlements and jobs.

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Putin suggested expansion to foreign markets was a way to support Russia's defense sector financially. "If our specialists make it to foreign markets and uphold our interests there, it will be a very good job," the president said.

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