70 nuclear missiles for Russia
2008-12-22 22:36
Moscow - Russian news reports are quoting a senior government official as saying the military will commission 70 strategic nuclear missiles over the next three years.
They quote Vladislav Putilin as saying the government has decided to spend about 4 trillion rubles, or $141 billion, on new weapons over the next three years.
He was quoted as saying after Monday's Cabinet meeting that the money will buy 70 strategic missiles and 30 short-range Iskander missiles among other military hardware.
The number of missiles mentioned by Putilin indicates the government's intention to significantly increase the tempo of rearming Russia's Strategic Missile Forces.
Putilin is a deputy head of the Cabinet's military-industrial commission in charge of weapons industries.
- AP