Photo taken on Dec. 17, 2020 in Moscow, Russia shows the live broadcast of Russian President Vladimir Putin speaking during his annual press conference. This year, due to coronavirus-related restrictions, Putin's annual year-end press conference was held online on Thursday. (Xinhua/Bai Xueqi)

 Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that the nation's share of modern weaponry among its nuclear deterrent forces must reach nearly 90 percent in 2021.

"It is absolutely unacceptable to stand still. The rate of change in relation to all critical spheres within the armed forces is unusually high," the Kremlin cited the president as saying during the annual session of the Defense Ministry Board.

"This is why in 2021, with regard to the nuclear deterrent force, we must reach a level of modernization" that hits 88.3 percent, he added.

He further noted that the share of modernized equipment within the general-purpose forces should reach close to 76 percent in 2024.

Putin stressed that the country has developed a strong triad of nuclear forces and reached a sufficient level of nuclear deterrence that can guarantee Russia's security, adding that the share of modernized equipment within its general-purpose forces has reached 70 percent by mid-December of this year, and 86 percent within the nuclear deterrent forces.