Russia plans to boost annual defense spending to $97bn![]() October 17, 2012 - 11:37 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia plans to boost annual defense spending by 59 percent to almost 3 trillion rubles ($97 billion) in 2015, up from $61 billion in 2012, RIA Novosti reported Wednesday, Oct 17, citing the head of the State Duma’s Defense Committee. “Targeted national defense spending as a percentage of GDP will amount to 3.2 percent in 2013, 3.4 percent in 2014 and 3.7 percent in 2015,” Defense Committee chairman Vladimir Komoedov said in the committee’s conclusion on the draft budget for 2013-2015, which will come up for a first reading in the Duma on Friday. The spending proposals provide financing to “re-equip units with new weapon systems, military equipment and provide housing and social safeguards for service members” among other issues, Komoedov said. Azerbaijani authorities report that they have already resettled 3,000 people in the Nagorno-Karabakh town of Stepanakert. On June 10, Azerbaijani President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev will leave for Turkey on a working visit. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. Partner news |