Russian army to improve its international image

Increasing international activity of Russia's Defense Ministry is aimed at shaping a positive image of the Russian Armed Forces abroad and at creating favorable foreign policy conditions, Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told reporters on Wednesday. "Lately, Russian Defense Ministry has substantually increased international activity: in the past ten days Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has met with his foreign counterparts at least four times,” Antonov said. “This policy is part of Defense Minister's strategy aimed at changing perception of the Russian Armed Forces in the West, creating favorable political and other conditions which will help us to put to life tasks set by commander-in-chief efficiently and on time,” he added. Antonov reminded reporters that this month the Defense Minister had met with counterparts from Vietnam and Germany, and took part in the so-called "two plus two"  talks with Italy and the United States. “We are interested in development of military and military-technical cooperation, information regarding military reforms which are underway, say, in Western Europe; we are interested in how our NATO colleagues are solving the problem of combat readiness in conditions of insufficient financing; we're interested in new hardware deployed by foreign colleagues,” the official said.