Putin says Russia has weapons shortages despite beefing up production

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MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia’s armed forces are still short of certain weapons, including drones, despite a big increase in production, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

Putin told a meeting of the state Military-Industrial Commission that almost all defence enterprises had met their orders in full last year.

“For example, production of weapons, communications, reconnaissance and electronic warfare systems more than doubled. The troops received over 4,000 units of armoured weapons, 180 combat aircraft and helicopters,” he said in televised comments.

More than 1.5 million drones of various types had also been produced, Putin added, including about 4,000 first-person view (FPV) drones – lightweight models designed for precision targeting.

But Putin said: “I know very well, and many here who are participating in our meeting today know it as well as I do: there are still not enough of these weapons. Not enough.”

He added: “I am sure that all plans to increase production of the necessary equipment, in this case drones, will certainly be fulfilled. They are eagerly awaiting them on the front.”

Putin’s comments signalled that Russia intends to further ramp up military production in the fourth year of its war in Ukraine, even as it holds talks with the United States on prospects for ending the conflict.

Russia has shifted defence plants to round-the-clock production since the start of the war. It has also acquired large amounts of military equipment from other countries, including Shahed drones from Iran and artillery, ballistic missiles and rocket systems from North Korea.

(Reporting by Anton Kolodyazhnyy and Vladimir Soldatkin; Writing by Maxim Rodionov and Felix Light; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)