Medvedev: Stop buying junk

MOSCOW, July 13 (UPI) -- Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has told the country's defense ministry to stop buying high-priced, low quality military equipment.

Medvedev suggested the ministry purchase more weapons abroad rather than settling for what he called "junk," The Moscow Times reported Wednesday.

"You shouldn't buy junk" Medvedev told Defense Minister Anatoly Seryukov and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov during a meeting at his residence outside Moscow.

"If the equipment on offer is not satisfactory, you should refuse," Medvedev said.

The order comes as Russia, the world's second-largest arms exporter, prepares to drastically increase weapons procurement for its armed forces in the next few years.

Last week, the chief designer at the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology accused the defense ministry of mishandling procurement for the Topol-M missile.