Statement by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Collegium of the Ministry of Defense on September 26 about achieving goals by 2025 was, as it turned out, not related to the topic of the special operation in Ukraine. According to the explanations, the minister spoke about plans to rearm the army and increase combat capability.
“The consistent implementation of measures and activity plans until 2025,” Shoigu said at the board meeting, “will allow us to achieve the intended goals.”
A number of viewers of the broadcast of the event took the words of the head of the department as an indication of the timing of the SVO. The reason was that immediately before this, Shoigu spoke about how “the United States and its allies continue to arm the Armed Forces of Ukraine” and how “the cynical actions of the West are pushing Ukraine towards self-destruction.” However, the head of the Ministry of Defense also stated that in such conditions the Russian department continues to “increase the combat power of the armed forces,” including “taking into account the experience of a special military operation.”
Shoigu’s speech discussed the action plan of the Ministry of Defense , developed before the start of the SVO and compiled for the period 2019-2025.