DATE=1/27/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RUSSIA / WEAPONS (L-O)
NUMBER=2-258490
BYLINE=PETER HEINLEIN
DATELINE=MOSCOW
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Russia will boost weapons spending by 50-
percent this year in an attempt to restore its
battered military might. Moscow Correspondent Peter
Heinlein reports the country's space budget also is in
for a big boost.
TEXT: Acting President Vladimir Putin promised
Russia's struggling military industry workers they
will have more work this year -- as much as 50-percent
more. With a war in Chechnya that experts say could
drag on for years, more spending on weapons is to be
expected.
But Mr. Putin says the main objective of the military
expenditures is to rebuild Russia into a world-class
military power. He told reporters Chechnya played
only a small part in the decision to boost spending.
/// PUTIN ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///
He says the problem is deeper than just Chechnya. He
says his proposal is an attempt to correct the under-
financing of the armed forces that took place for
several years.
Mr. Putin, whose popularity is largely based on his
tough handling of the war in Chechnya, said the
decline of the armed forces in recent years had called
into question Russia's ability to maintain a modern,
well-equipped army.
Briefing reporters, Deputy Prime Minister Ilya
Klebanov said the spending hike would allow
modernization of existing equipment and development of
new weapons systems. He said it could take as long as
four years to produce heat-seeking missiles and night
warfare weapons.
Russian soldiers in Chechnya have complain they
capture territory during the day, only to lose it at
night to small bands of lightly-armed urban guerrilla
fighters.
Deputy Prime Minister Klebanov said Russia's space
program also will get a large dose of cash, mostly to
rebuild the network of spy satellites that has
deteriorated during the past decade.
/// KLEBANOV ACT - IN RUSSIAN - FADE UNDER ///
He says Russia is to restore its space network, which
today is in what he calls - pretty bad condition.
Russia signaled its renewed emphasis on military power
this month with an updated national security doctrine.
The document lowers the threshold for using nuclear
weapons to counter what it sees as a growing external
military threat.
The Kremlin's main concerns include NATO's eastward
expansion, continuing instability among countries of
the former Soviet Union, and what it sees as the
weakened role of the United Nations. (SIGNED)
NEB/PFH/JWH/RAE
27-Jan-2000 10:27 AM EDT (27-Jan-2000 1527 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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