Russian Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov reported yesterday that Russian military production is surging, even despite shortages of skilled labor. “Since the beginning of this year, for many types of weapons and special equipment, much more has already been produced than for the whole of last year,” Manturov told a conference of regional governors in Nizhny Novgorod, reported TASS. “Speaking about weapons, we are now reaching a level at which deliveries in just one month exceed the total order of last year,” he added.