Putin vows to back domestic production of military hardware parts

MOSCOW, July 28 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian government will work out a specially targeted federal program to ensure that components for military hardware are produced domestically, the Russian prime minister said Monday.

Vladimir Putin visited the Avangard machine-building plant in Moscow, which is part of the Almaz-Antei defense company. "We will speak on it at today's meeting of the Russian government presidium," he said of the government support program.

The Almaz-Antei company specializes in developing and producing small, medium and long-range air defense missile systems, radars and automated control systems.

Putin also said the implementation of a program to manufacture strategic materials would ensure independence from imports for firms fulfilling orders in the military-technical sector.

That issue was also due to be discussed at the meeting of the presidium, also known as the inner cabinet.