Reuters, Moscow :
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday he would not let anyone gain military superiority over Russia and that he would fulfill a plan to modernise the armed forces by 2020.
Russia, hit by Western sanctions over Ukraine and a fall in oil prices, is expected to enter recession this year but Shoigu said he would carry out the multi-billion dollar plan approved by President Vladimir Putin.
“The task set by the president – to prevent (others’) military superiority over Russia – will be fulfilled unconditionally,” Interfax news agency quoted Shoigu as telling a Defence Ministry meeting.
“For that, we plan to fulfill the government armament program and reach by 2020 the intended quantities of modern weapons systems,” he added.
Tensions between Russia and the West have risen over the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where the United States and Europe say Moscow is fuelling an insurgency by sending in troops and weapons. Moscow denies this
Russia has criticized NATO expansion in eastern Europe and Putin has accused the Ukrainian army, which is fighting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, of being puppets of NATO with a policy of “containing” Russia.
Meanwhile, the last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on Friday accused the United States of drawing Russia into a new Cold War and said he feared hostilities could escalate into armed conflict.
The United States “has already drawn us into a new Cold War, trying openly to achieve its main idea of triumphalism,” Gorbachev said in an interview with the Interfax news agency.
“Where will that lead all of us? A Cold War is already being waged openly. What’s next?” asked the 83-year-old former Soviet president who during his time in power eased relations with the West but is vilified in Russia for allowing the breakup of the USSR.
“Unfortunately I cannot say for sure that a Cold War won’t lead to a ‘hot’ one. I fear they could take the risk,” Gorbachev said, apparently referring to the United States.
Gorbachev in November last year warned that the world was “on the brink of a new Cold War.”
In his latest comments, Gorbachev criticised the West for imposing sanctions on Russia.
“All you hear is about sanctions towards Russia from America and the European Union. Have they totally lost their heads?” Gorbachev asked.
In December last year, Gorbachev in an article urged the US and the EU to “defrost relations” with Russia.
Russia’s envoy to the European security watchdog OSCE urged the United States and Europe on Thursday to stop supporting the “party of war” in Ukraine and warned “catastrophe” could result, Interfax news agency reported.
“I would like to appeal to the states that have influence on Kiev’s leadership, most of all to Washington. It’s time to stop indulging Ukraine’s party of war,” said Russia’s OSCE envoy, Andrei Kelin.
“Only a big catastrophe can result from such developments.”
Russia has increasingly blamed the United States and NATO for the flare-up in violence in eastern Ukraine.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday he would not let anyone gain military superiority over Russia and that he would fulfill a plan to modernise the armed forces by 2020.
Russia, hit by Western sanctions over Ukraine and a fall in oil prices, is expected to enter recession this year but Shoigu said he would carry out the multi-billion dollar plan approved by President Vladimir Putin.
“The task set by the president – to prevent (others’) military superiority over Russia – will be fulfilled unconditionally,” Interfax news agency quoted Shoigu as telling a Defence Ministry meeting.
“For that, we plan to fulfill the government armament program and reach by 2020 the intended quantities of modern weapons systems,” he added.
Tensions between Russia and the West have risen over the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where the United States and Europe say Moscow is fuelling an insurgency by sending in troops and weapons. Moscow denies this
Russia has criticized NATO expansion in eastern Europe and Putin has accused the Ukrainian army, which is fighting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, of being puppets of NATO with a policy of “containing” Russia.
Meanwhile, the last Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on Friday accused the United States of drawing Russia into a new Cold War and said he feared hostilities could escalate into armed conflict.
The United States “has already drawn us into a new Cold War, trying openly to achieve its main idea of triumphalism,” Gorbachev said in an interview with the Interfax news agency.
“Where will that lead all of us? A Cold War is already being waged openly. What’s next?” asked the 83-year-old former Soviet president who during his time in power eased relations with the West but is vilified in Russia for allowing the breakup of the USSR.
“Unfortunately I cannot say for sure that a Cold War won’t lead to a ‘hot’ one. I fear they could take the risk,” Gorbachev said, apparently referring to the United States.
Gorbachev in November last year warned that the world was “on the brink of a new Cold War.”
In his latest comments, Gorbachev criticised the West for imposing sanctions on Russia.
“All you hear is about sanctions towards Russia from America and the European Union. Have they totally lost their heads?” Gorbachev asked.
In December last year, Gorbachev in an article urged the US and the EU to “defrost relations” with Russia.
Russia’s envoy to the European security watchdog OSCE urged the United States and Europe on Thursday to stop supporting the “party of war” in Ukraine and warned “catastrophe” could result, Interfax news agency reported.
“I would like to appeal to the states that have influence on Kiev’s leadership, most of all to Washington. It’s time to stop indulging Ukraine’s party of war,” said Russia’s OSCE envoy, Andrei Kelin.
“Only a big catastrophe can result from such developments.”
Russia has increasingly blamed the United States and NATO for the flare-up in violence in eastern Ukraine.
The West accuses Moscow of feeding a pro-Russian insurgency with guns and soldiers.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said this week the Ukrainian army itself was a legion of NATO sent to geopolitically contain Russia.
“It’s time to stop covering (Kiev’s) inhuman actions, it is unacceptable to push (them) toward the continuation of war in eastern Ukraine,” said Kelin.
Russia denies accusations it is sending money, arms or weapons to eastern Ukraine, where a pro-Russian uprising began months after Ukraine’s Moscow-backed President Viktor Yanukovich was ousted by street protests.
