MOSCOW, March 17 (RIA Novosti) - A comprehensive...

The president announced last year that Russia would make the modernization of its nuclear deterrent and Armed Forces a priority in light of the August military conflict with Georgia.

Russia's military expenditure has been steadily growing recently, and the country reportedly plans to increase the current defense budget of $40 billion by 50% in the next three years.

Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Tuesday that the share of modern weaponry in the Russian Armed Forces would reach 30% by 2015, and would total 70% by 2020.