Russia to beef up strategic deterrence potential

Russia will continue to increase its potential in air-space forces and other parts of its nuclear deterrence strategy, Chief of Staff said Tuesday. "(Russia) will beef up its air-space defense capabilities through modernization of its informational and first-strike parts," Valery Gerasimov told reporters. He added that such modernization would guarantee early warning about launch of the strategic ballistic missiles and long-range cruise missiles. The Defense Ministry worked on building the early-warning radars along Russia's borders as well as permanent deployment of S-400 and S-500 anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems. "We have a possibility to efficiently counter a high-technological enemy should it undertake aggression against Russia," Gerasimov said. According to the general, Russia is to modernize its strategic bombers and in 2014 start construction of a cutting-edge long-range aviation system. Russia also keeps rearmament of the strategic missile troops with Yars and Bulava missiles. On July 5, Russian Security Council discussed the defense measures until 2020.