Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday called for more Su-34 fighter jets to be produced, as Moscow pursues its offensive in Ukraine.The Kremlin has announced a massive spending hike to accommodate its military needs in Ukraine as its large-scale offensive approaches its second year.These planes are real workhorses. They can make four to five flights a day,” Shoigu said during a visit to an aeronautical manufacturing base in Novosibirsk in Siberia.
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That’s why we need to step up, accelerate” their manufacture, Shoigu said.He said the Defense Ministry has “tasked the factory’s management with accelerating production and repair work” of Su-34s because the weapon is “in demand.”The comments came during a visit by Shoigu to the Novosibirsk aviation plant, some 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) east of Moscow.
The Kremlin — hit by an unprecedented Western sanctions regime — has, however, pivoted to a wartime economy.It has increased defense spending by 68% for 2024, totaling around 6% of GDP — more than spending allocated for social policy.