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MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Russian army plans to deploy over 1,100 units of upgraded military equipment to Russia's Western Military District in 2016, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday.
"In the current year, it is planned to deploy over 1,100 units of modernized military equipment to the district, including modern planes, helicopters, tanks, armored personnel carriers, means of communication and control," Shoigu said at a Defense Ministry board meeting.
Earlier in the day, the defense minister stated that the decision to build up the district's military potential was taken due to the need to respond to the NATO buildup in Europe close to Russia's western borders.
Russia is currently carrying out a 20-trillion ruble ($294-billion at the current exchange rate) rearmament program, announced in 2010, to renew 70-percent of its military hardware by 2020.
