Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin was speaking in the Far Eastern Russian city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur on Monday after emerging from a high-level meeting on modernizing Russia’s defence industry: “We urgently need to replace the microelectronic elements that we import with similar ones produced at home. The problem has to be solved within a couple of years. Last week, Defence Minister Serdiukov and I inspected the Mikron microelectronics company in Zelenograd just northwest of Moscow. We were pressing the message that possessing internationally competitive domestic microelectronics industry is not only a matter of national pride but also of national security. Indeed, no one knows what is contained inside the imported microchips that we integrate into some of our latest weapon systems. To ward off potential dangers from this, Russia must start producing the necessary microchips itself as soon as possible.

In Zelenograd, I cut the ribbon on a brand-new microchip production operation. This operation is the first step in the right direction. According to Prime Minister Putin, importing microelectronic elements is admissible only inasmuch as it enables Russia to acquire latest technologies. These technologies must be deciphered and reproduced at home. Importing military technology en masse is completely out of the question.

Domestic microelectronics industry should help Russia strengthen its military capability and save military lives. Waste of life in wars or regional conflicts must be ruled out. Protecting the soldier is the topmost priority for Russian military engineers and weapon designers.

To start a production operation at home, we may sometimes have to import something first. A few dozen armoured vehicles, for instance. But importing such vehicles in the hundreds or thousands is not an option. The mass production must be based in Russia. Fortunately, a special government commission is at work to decide what has to be imported and what can be successfully produced at home”.

Andreeva Svetlana
Moscow Time