MOSCOW, May 8 (Xinhua) -- Vladimir Putin, the candidate for prime minister, said on Thursday that the amount of new military hardware put into service in the Russian Armed Forces are not sufficient.

    "Since 2001, more than 300 new models of military hardware have been put into service. This is not little, but not sufficient," he said in a speech to the State Duma, lower house of the parliament.

    "The support to the Army and the Navy will remain the top priority for us," Putin, who is to be approved as prime minister, said.