A Russian RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile system rolls down the Red Square during a rehearsal for the Victory Day parade in Moscow, Russia, May 7, 2019. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

The Russian Defense Ministry spent more than 1.5 trillion rubles (24.2 billion US dollars) this year on weapons and state defense activities, Deputy Defense Minister Aleksey Krivoruchko has said.

These funds made it possible to further develop the armament system of the Armed Forces, Krivoruchko told the defense ministry's official newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda in an interview published on Saturday.

"To ensure the established pace of equipping the troops and forces with modern weapons and equipment, more than 68 percent of the funds were allocated for serial package purchases of high-tech models," he said.

He said the year 2019 witnessed a major step in the modernization of the military with the latest types of weapons and equipment, which have strengthened Russia's defense capability.