Putin says Russia to continue modernization of weapons

MOSCOW, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Russia is continuously strengthening its armed forces by modernizing weaponry, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday in his annual state-of-the-nation address to the Federal Assembly.

The share of modern weapons and equipment is expected to reach 76 percent by 2024, and this share in Russia's nuclear triad will exceed 88 percent this year, Putin told lawmakers and government officials.

The first regiment fully armed with the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles will become operational by the end of 2022, and the Tsirkon hypersonic cruise missiles will be combat ready in the near future, he said.

The Avangard intercontinental hypersonic missiles and laser combat systems have already been put on duty, he noted.

Putin highlighted the importance of global cooperation in ensuring strategic stability and invited major countries to discussions on issues regarding strategic weapons.

"The subject of such negotiations would be the establishment of a mechanism of conflict-free coexistence based on a security equation," he said.