Russia's President Vladimir Putin has announced Kremlin's plans to work on developing new weapons to ensure a strategic global arms balance.
Russia, like other countries, is working on state-of-the-art arms technologies, including laser, hypersonic and robotic weapons, President Putin said in the Black Sea city of Sochi on Friday.
In an address to Russian military leaders and arms makers, Putin said Moscow aimed to produce weapons and technology that would help the country's armed forces maintain the strategic balance around the world, diverting efforts to disrupt it.
"Our goal is to effectively neutralize any military threats to Russia’s security, including those of the [NATO] strategic anti-ballistic missile defense system, the prompt global strike concept and information warfare," Putin said.
"We will continue to do everything needed to preserve the strategic balance of power," he said, adding that the balance was what had prevented a major military conflict between the opposing camps during the Cold War.
Putin did not elaborate on the weapons programs, but military officials have said Moscow is developing new warheads for its ballistic missiles as well as advanced laser weapons.
Russia has also developed advanced anti-missile systems.
Moscow has pursued its military modernization program despite the country’s economic hardships. With the end of the Cold War, Russia and the United States cut down on arms spending.
Fewer new systems were developed and both arsenals have shrunk. However, both countries still maintain huge stocks of nuclear missiles.
