Russia discloses defense spendings first time since 2005

Russian authorities have announced their defense spending for the first time since 2005, Moscow's Vedomosti daily reported Tuesday.

The data made public by the defense committee of Russia's State Duma disclosed the spending through the year 2013.

According to the report, spending for purchasing and maintenance of arms and military equipment will amount to 380 billion rubles (12.7 billion U.S. dollars) in 2010, the equivalent of 15.4 billion dollars in 2011, 20 billion dollars in 2012 and 32.7 billion dollars in 2013.

Russia's total spending for defense, which also includes that on scientific research, would amount to 1.165 trillion rubles (39 billion dollars) in 2013.

In 2013, the Defense Ministry would spend up to 70 percent of all funding to purchase new weaponry and equipment, such as strategic missiles Yars and Bulava, SU-34 bombers, SU-35 fighters, submarines and other warships.

Some experts warned that the share of scientific research in military spending would drop steadily toward 2013, said the report, as the Defense Ministry would cut funding for fruitless research.

Instead, the money would be spent on the existing systems like Bulava missiles, Angara and Rus booster rockets, new satellites, the fifth-generation fighter T-50 and an aircraft carrier, they said.

Source: Xinhua