Russian government to back defence companies' contracts

MOSCOW, Sept 15 (Reuters) - The Russian government will provide state guarantees for defence industry contracts for up to five years, RIA news agency cited Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev as saying on Monday.

"I have signed ... a government order to provide guarantees for up to five years for defence companies when they are fulfilling state defence contracts," the agency cited Medvedev as saying at a government meeting.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly, editing by Elizabeth Piper)