Speaking at a meeting of the Eurasian nation’s Science and Education Council, the senior official noted that in the current tense situation, both science and technology play an essential role in ensuring state security.
He noted the importance of pushing ahead with innovative developments and promising research in order to maintain the country’s defense capabilities and counter the most serious threats to Russia, the TASS news agency reported.
“We are mostly talking about an attempt to expand NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) presence near our borders. And that’s no longer a figure of speech, it’s no longer standard threats. We have to be prepared for these aggressive actions that could happen,” he said.
The former Russian president stressed the need for the country to build a system that would allow it to have the most modern weapons, for which, he said, it needs reliable, high-tech and powerful equipment, both military and dual-purpose.
He warned that all of these technologies “do not just happen, especially when sanctions are imposed on the country.” He emphasized that it is the specialists trained at universities and research centers who can drive these processes forward.
“And today we have to pay more attention to the training of these specialists,” stressed Medvedev. He emphasized that it is not only about technological independence, but also about the survival of the state.
Statements by Sweden and Finland about their possible entry into NATO in recent days have raised alarms from Russia, which in this case could strengthen its western borders.
“If Sweden and Finland join NATO, the length of the alliance’s land borders with Russia will more than double. Of course, these borders must be strengthened,” said the Vice President of the Security Council of that country.
He warned that in this case there would be no talk of a nuclear-weapon-free zone status for the Baltic Sea region, so “the balance needs to be restored,” the former Russian president wrote on his social network channel Telegram. .
His words came in response to recent demonstrations by Stockholm and Helsinki authorities interested in their countries joining the Atlantic Alliance, while the bloc’s leadership reiterated their intention to accept it.
In this regard, Moscow must react “without emotion, with a cool head,” stressed Medvedev, who believed that Russia’s ground and air defense forces in this region need to be significantly strengthened, and that significant naval troops need to be stationed in the Gulf. from Finland.
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