Control over pricing in the formation of the state defense order should be strengthened, Andrei Belousov, a candidate for the post of head of the Russian Defense Ministry, said at a plenary meeting of the Federation Council, where consultations on his appointment are being completed.
He called equipping the group of troops operating in his territory a priority task. Belousov also stressed that it is important to improve military education, and one of the advantages of the Ministry of Defense can be called "a huge reserve of personnel policy." He noted that the former head of the department, Sergei Shoigu, left "a huge help" to fulfill the tasks set by the president.
TASS has compiled the main statements of Belousov.
About the key priorities
- Equipping a group of troops operating in its territory is a priority task. "First of all, we are talking about issues related to equipping the group operating there, ensuring the supply of the most modern military and special equipment: artillery ammunition, missiles, personal protection of military personnel, special communications, drones, electronic warfare and so on."
- It is important to improve military education and adapt the experience of a special military operation, since the enemy "learns quickly". "The situation related to the use of new technologies is changing literally on a weekly basis. And we don't just need to learn and follow here, we need to pre-empt the enemy. It is necessary to generalize the experience of using new technologies and, accordingly, to work out new methods of warfare."
About the state defense order and control
- It is necessary to strengthen control over pricing when forming a state defense order. The result of this should be an increased efficiency of its execution. "There are approaches that I plan to implement in the near future, or at least continue to implement them. This is an absolutely necessary job."
- If we talk about the costs of capital construction and investment projects, we need to significantly strengthen control over the expenditure of these funds "throughout the chain." "Including bearing in mind, probably, the main task - the creation of new types of weapons."
About the tasks set by the President
- President Vladimir Putin has set the task to ensure the full integration of the economy of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation into the country's economy. This implies, first of all, the optimization of military spending. "I want to emphasize that optimization does not mean an indiscriminate reduction. Optimization, first of all, means increasing efficiency."
- The second task is to make the Ministry of Defense as open to innovation as possible. "This applies not only to new technologies, but also to training, as well as new forms and methods of management. In particular, we are talking about the realization of the advantages that modern digital technologies provide."
- One of these advantages is the "huge reserve of personnel policy." "These are people who have undergone a special military operation. The President has repeatedly said this, and I intend to make the most of this potential."
- Former Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has created a modern system of the armed forces, "which successfully achieve their intended goals." "This is a huge help to fulfill the tasks set by the president."
About responsibility and principles
- The key task is Russia's victory in a special military operation "with minimal human losses." "I am fully aware of my responsibility to the country, to the Russian people, to the President of the Russian Federation in accordance with the planned appointment. I pledge to use all my strength, health, if necessary, life to solve the tasks set."