Shoigu, who visited a military factory in western Siberia, stressed the need "to maintain the increased production of tanks" and better security features in armoured vehicles, the defence ministry said.

Shoigu said this was necessary "to satisfy the needs of Russian forces carrying out the special military operation" launched by Moscow in Ukraine in February last year, it added.

Russia claims the Ukrainian counteroffensive has failed but Kyiv says it has retaken several localities and about a 100 square kilometres of territory, mainly on the southern front.