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| Russia announces rearmament plan | Russia announces rearmament plan |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said Moscow will begin a comprehensive military rearmament from 2011. | Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said Moscow will begin a comprehensive military rearmament from 2011. |
| Mr Medvedev said the primary task would be to "increase the combat readiness of [Russia's] forces, first of all our strategic nuclear forces". | Mr Medvedev said the primary task would be to "increase the combat readiness of [Russia's] forces, first of all our strategic nuclear forces". |
| Explaining the move, he cited concerns over Nato expansion near Russia's borders and regional conflicts. | Explaining the move, he cited concerns over Nato expansion near Russia's borders and regional conflicts. |
| Last year, the Kremlin set out plans to increase spending on Russia's armed forces over the next two years. | Last year, the Kremlin set out plans to increase spending on Russia's armed forces over the next two years. |
| Russia will spend nearly $140bn (£94.5bn) on buying arms up until 2011. | Russia will spend nearly $140bn (£94.5bn) on buying arms up until 2011. |
| Higher oil revenues in recent years have allowed the Kremlin to increase the military budget, analysts say. But prices have averaged $40 a barrel in 2009 compared with $100 last year. | |
| Outdated equipment | |
| In his first address to a defence ministry meeting in his capacity as supreme commander, Mr Medvedev said considerable sums are being channelled towards developing and purchasing modern military equipment. | |
| Inside Russia's military "Despite the financial problems we have to cope with today, the size of these sums has remained virtually the same as planned." | |
| Analysts say the brief war in Georgia exposed problems with outdated equipment and practices within Russia's armed forces and led to calls for military modernisation. | |
| Mr Medvedev said the move was necessary in response to the current military situation in the world, says the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow. | Mr Medvedev said the move was necessary in response to the current military situation in the world, says the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow. |
| Russia has long been angered by Nato's post-Cold War expansion and by the United States' plans to place elements of a missile defence system in parts of Eastern Europe, our correspondent adds. | Russia has long been angered by Nato's post-Cold War expansion and by the United States' plans to place elements of a missile defence system in parts of Eastern Europe, our correspondent adds. |
| The Russian Security Council is currently developing a new military doctrine which is expected to reflect current and forthcoming international developments, including any changes Nato may set out this year, missile defence deployments and WMD proliferation. | |
| "The Security Council will approve Russia's national security strategy until 2020 in the near future," President Medvedev said. | |
| Watch Tim Whewell's films on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week on Newsnight on BBC Two at 10.30pm. | |
| Are you in Russia? What do you make of the rearmament plans? Send us your comments using the form below. | Are you in Russia? What do you make of the rearmament plans? Send us your comments using the form below. |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |