MOSCOW, May 28 (Xinhua) -- The increasing share of modern weapons in Russia's Strategic Missile Troops provides new capabilities for nuclear deterrence, a Russian military official said.

The implementation of the 2017 plans on the rearmament of formations and units of the Strategic Missile Troops increased the share of modern weapons up to 66 percent, which provides them with new capabilities for nuclear deterrence, Commander of the Russian Strategic Missile Troops Sergei Karakayev said in an interview with Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper published on Monday.

The Strategic Missile Troops have received a large amount of additional equipment, which ensures their operation, protection and combat use, added Karakayev.

In recent years, Russia has been actively modernizing its armaments and military equipment. According to Russia's 2018-2027 state armament program, its armed forces were planned to be updated with about 20 trillion rubles (352.3 billion U.S. dollars).