Russia Allocates $2 Billion on New Arms, Countering U.S. Shield

Russia will spend an extra $2 billion next year on weapons, including modernizing short-range Iskander missiles that could counter a proposed U.S. anti-missile shield.
The government decided to allocate an extra 60 billion rubles ($2.1 billion) after Russia’s August war with U.S.-allied Georgia, state broadcaster Vesti-24 cited Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov as saying on its Web Site.
“Irrespective of the economic situation, it will continue to rise,” Ivanov said of Russia’s defense spending. “There is an objective need to speed up further the rearmament of our army and navy.”

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