“The key issue on our agenda is to form another long-term state program for armaments. The current program extending till 2027 was launched earlier this year. It incorporates the modern world trends in the development of military hardware and weapons as well as the experience of using Russian weaponry in combat in Syria,” Putin said at a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission.

“As a result the armed forces are to get the newest weapon systems surpassing the parameters of their foreign counterparts. Putin mentioned the missile system Sarmat, fifth generation fighter jet Sukhoi-57, highly-protected main battle tank on the platform Armata, air defense system S-500 and submarine of project 677.

“Meanwhile, it is necessary to move forward and to start planning the development and production of new generation weapon systems that will determine the image of the Russian Armed Forces in the long term, for the forthcoming decade.

Russian resident Vladimir Putin visited the Kalashnikov Concern’s shooting range and tested the company’s brand new sniper rifle in Kubinka .

After inspecting the experimental samples of the rifles, Putin shot five times with an SVCh-308 (Chukavin sniper’s rifle) rifle at a target from a distance of 600 meters. Three of the president’s shots successfully hit the target.

According to Kalashnikov, the SVCh-308 rifle is designed to engage the enemy’s manpower at small and medium distances.

It can be used in conditions of combined arms combat as well as for keeping a cover.

The rifle’s small dimensions allow the shooter to do without additional weapons, which increases mobility.