The RF Defense Minister, General of the Army Sergei Shoygu, underlined in his speech that, "we must be ready to respond to any challenges and threats". In this connection he stressed that many targets had already been achieved, but there are still a number of issues outstanding as regards the development of the Armed Forces. In particular, these involve ensuring more effective control of troops; supplying modern weapons and military equipment; effective recruitment to military units and formations; and developing the resources for mobilization and deployment of the Armed Forces.

Scientists of the Academy of Military Sciences should play an important part in solving these problems. "We look forward to their active participation in the further development of the Armed Forces," the Defense Minister declared.

The meeting was addressed by a number of other leading figures: the Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin; the Chief of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces and the First Deputy Defense Minister, Colonel-General Valery Gerasimov; the President of the AMS, General of the Army Mahmut Gareyev; and a number of leading scientists from the higher educational and research institutions of the Russian Defense Ministry. The Chairman of the Presidium of the Non-Departmental Advisory Board on Aerospace Defense (NAB ASD), Igor Ashurbeyli, and the Executive Director of NAB ASD, Boris Cheltsov, took part in the meeting among the other members of the AMS and experts of the defense industrial complex.