OREANDA-NEWS. October 10, 2008. In a conversation with sailors the President discussed the conditions of service, improving the welfare of the families of military personnel, and the Navy's development prospects.

The head of state emphasised that the main priorities of the modernisation of the Armed Forces include creating a new image of the Armed Forces, the creation of new types of weapons, making them combat ready and using them in practical activities, as well as creating normal social conditions for servicemen.

Dmitry Medvedev said that the Ministry of Defence has been instructed to develop a programme for the construction of aircraft cruisers and to build such ships in the next two years. In the near future two new submarines, Yuri Dolgoruky and Alexander Nevsky, will be put into service.