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During the forum, the President gave orders to Russia’s leading shipyards, via videoconference, to lay down several warships for the Navy.

Vladimir Putin also visited the Avangard educational and methodological centre for еру military-patriotic education of youth located in Patriot Park and intended for basic military training of adolescents aged 12–18. In particular, the President toured the administrative, educational and residential buildings at the centre, and briefly spoke with the cadets.

In addition, Vladimir Putin met with King Adbullah II of Jordan at the forum.

The Army 2021 forum takes place on August 22–28 at the Russian Armed Forces military patriotic park Patriot, at the Kubinka airfield and the Alabino training ground, as well as in all military districts and the Northern Fleet. The events will include exhibitions, demos plus scientific and business programmes.

In 2021, the 7th International Army Games coincide with the forum, from August 22 to September 4. Teams from 44 countries compete in the event; 11 countries are hosting the games alongside Russia.

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Remarks at the opening ceremony of the Army 2021 Forum and the International Army Games 2021

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends, ladies and gentlemen, foreign guests,

I am delighted to welcome you all to the opening of the Army 2021 International Military Technical Forum and the International Army Games.

For the seventh time, Patriot Park is the venue of two high-profile events that bring together representatives of Russian and foreign armed forces, heads of defence companies, research and design schools.

By tradition, the forum features a review of the best achievements of the domestic defence industry. In fact, it showcases the current level of our Armed Forces and, what is important, the powerful innovative potential, the technological groundwork that will determine the trends in the fast and high-quality advancement of the Russian army and navy in the coming years. This is one of our priorities, undoubtedly a priority task.

Leading Russian experts and our foreign colleagues from almost 100 countries can view the latest projects in the defence industry, discuss prospects for boosting military technical ties, as well as cooperation in the field of national defence and ensuring national interests.

Russia has something to be proud of and something to offer its allies and partners. Over the past years, we have been consistently implementing the state armaments programme and the long-term programme for the development of the defence industry.

Our army and navy are being modernised at a fast pace as they receive the latest-generation military assets. For example, the share of modern weapons in the strategic nuclear forces is over 80 percent now, which is more than in other nuclear countries. Clearly, this is not important for everyone, but it matters for us and shows our Armed Forces’ level of sophistication and our science and technology capabilities.

The forum has on display over 28,000 units of modern military arms and equipment ranging from small firearms to artillery, tanks, and military combat aircraft. Most of these have passed the test in real combat and proved their reliability and effectiveness.

The Navy’s capability is also growing. Two modern short-range ships and four new submarines, including two nuclear missile carriers, are being laid at Russia’s leading shipyards.

Also, projects to create and improve combat capabilities of the advanced military equipment, such as the Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched missile system and the Okhotnik long-range unmanned aircraft, are making good progress. Many of these weapons are unparalleled in terms of tactical and technical specifications. We can safely assume that certain items will remain unmatched for a long time ahead. What is on display clearly shows this.

We are expanding Russia’s defence complex and the Armed Forces using breakthrough technology that relies on scientific research and fundamental research programmes. That said, during the forum, we will focus on using AI and robotics, as well as advanced communication and control systems, that is, components that hold the future of the leading countries’ armed forces and the future of the Russian Armed Forces.

This year, the forum is joined by over 90 percent of defence companies and organisations that engage in Russia’s state defence order. They not only reliably ensure the supply of weapons and equipment for our army and navy, but are also open to international cooperation and broad cooperation in developing and manufacturing modern weapons.

Massive mutually beneficial portfolios of contracts for the supply of Russian military goods are concluded on the forum’s sidelines every year. We hope this time, too, our foreign guests will show interest in new products developed by our defence complex and appreciate their unique capabilities not only on video panels, but in live action on testing ranges and viewing areas, or the Patriot Park shooting ranges as well.

Importantly, Russian-made weapons have always enjoyed demand on the global market. Today, they are reliably protecting national security in many countries, and our defence companies – despite the pandemic-related difficulties – keep producing and supplying export products on time. Even during these challenging circumstances as we are battling the pandemic, they kept working every single day fully complying with the sanitary requirements.

The International Army Games offer an excellent platform for showing off our military assets’ capabilities. Year in and year out, they have been attracting ever growing numbers of participants and the number of competitions has been increasing as well. This time, servicemen will demonstrate their skills in 34 international competitions at training grounds in 11 countries.

Notably, for over 5,000 military professionals from 44 countries this is more than just a good opportunity to test their tactical training and skills in using weapons and equipment. The games imply direct communication between colleagues, which is instrumental in promoting trust and partnership among military professionals from the participating countries and strengthening peace and international security.

Of course, the spectators will enjoy an event-filled programme during the forum. Visitors will get a chance to not only revisit military history and watch competitions among the Army Games participants, but will also be able to try their hand at military-technical and extreme sports.

Thanks go to the Defence Ministry’s leadership and everyone who made the forum and the Army Games possible.

I am confident that these games will promote international military cooperation and attract to our country’s Armed Forces, the defence and innovation-driven industries, as well as science and technology, talented young people who are committed to devoting their lives to serving Russia, our people and our Fatherland.

I would like to wish the forum’s participants and guests productive work, successful competitions to those taking part in the Army Games, and tremendous and memorable impressions to the spectators.

I hereby declare the International Military-Technical Forum Army-2021 and the International Army Games open.