End of Defense Imports to Russia Would Be Catastrophe for Ukraine: Putin
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The end of defense industry cooperation between Kiev and Moscow due to the political crisis in Ukraine would lead the latter to a catastrophe, while Russia would be able to replace what it imports, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Financially and technically Russia is able to conduct import substitution,” Putin has said, adding that it won't require substantial funding. And this “would not require a revision of the state defense order.”
He estimated the whole process of import substitution for Russia would take between 1.5 and 2.5 years, depending on the type of the products.
“But for the Ukrainian defense industry, the severing of ties with Russian partners is likely to lead to disaster,” Putin said, speaking to the members of the Council of Lawmakers. “Why? They don’t have any other markets. They just don’t exist. The only consumer is the Russian Armed Forces.”
However, he expressed hope that “rupture of these cooperation relations” will not happen, RT reported.
Still, Putin said he believes that such a halt to supplies is not a decision made “directly by enterprises.”
"They (managers of these enterprises) understand perfectly in which situation Ukrainian government puts them. I’m sure, they would like to continue this cooperation,” he said.