(MENAFN) President Vladimir Putin has emphasized that Russia risks forfeiting its sovereignty if it continues to depend exclusively on oil and gas income while sidelining its own manufacturing in favor of imported goods.

During an interview with journalist Pavel Zarubin, released on Sunday, Putin underscored the importance of fostering domestic industries—particularly automobile manufacturing—as a cornerstone of safeguarding both the nation's economic and political independence.

Reflecting on the post-Soviet era, Putin recalled that during the 1990s, numerous officials within his administration were inclined to abandon the development of Russia’s automotive sector.

They advocated instead for relying on cars produced abroad—a stance Putin firmly rejected.

He maintained that nurturing technological self-reliance was critical to national resilience.

“We must talk about technological independence… If we buy everything with the oil and gas [revenues] – and now they [the West] are trying to cut us off from oil and gas – then Russia will simply lose its competitiveness, and with it, its sovereignty,” he stated.

Putin went on to explain that the journey to revitalize Russia’s automobile sector initially involved collaboration with Western firms that were permitted to construct assembly lines in the country.

As of the early 2010s, however, authorities progressively increased the expectations for domestic content, pushing automakers to manufacture more parts within Russian borders.

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