Disturbing view of Putin's soul

France24 reports:

with a speech Friday setting long term priorities for his hand-picked successor ahead of next month's presidential election.

Putin used the televised address in an ornate Kremlin hall before Russia's ruling elite, including the full government, parliamentary leaders and top generals, to outline a roadmap up to 2020.

"There is a new turn in the arms race.... Russia will always respond to this new challenge," Putin said, promising "new weapons that are qualitatively the same or better than those of other countries."