You're reading: Putin says Russia to increase its nuclear, defense potential to feel safe

Seliger, Tver region - Russia intends to enhance further its nuclear and defense potential in order to feel safe, not to threaten anybody, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the Seliger youth forum on Aug. 29.

“We continue to enhance this potential and will do this not to threaten someone but to feel safe, to feel calm and to have opportunities to implements plans in economic development and the social sector,” Putin said.

Russia is one of the most potent nuclear powers and “these are not words, this is reality,” the president said.

“And moreover, we are enhancing our nuclear deterrence forces and we are enhancing our (conventional) armed forces. Indeed, they are becoming more compact and more efficient, indeed they are becoming more modern from the viewpoint of being equipped with contemporary arms,” Putin said.