Russia To Increase Defense Spending By 20 Percent

1 August 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Russia will increase defense spending by at least 15 to 20 percent next year.

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov made the announcement today during a visit to the Far Eastern city of Khabarovsk.

President Vladimir Putin has repeated the need to modernize Russia's military, including its nuclear weapons.

(dpa)