Wish of West to impose sanctions on Russian defense industries may be linked to attempts to prevent import substitution - Putin

The wish of the western partners to impose sanctions on Russian defense industries may be linked to an attempt to hinder the process of import substitution by Russia of military products from Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

"I am drawing your attention to the ideas that are increasingly voiced by our Western partners to impose sanctions on some Russian industries, primarily the defense sector. I believe this is aimed at preventing us from conducting this import substitution and continue our dependence, primarily on Ukrainian enterprises," Putin said while meeting with members of the Legislators' Council in Petrozavodsk.

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