Prime Minister Vladimir Putin visited an exhibition at the state nanotechnology corporation RusNano, where he was shown innovative products in a variety of fields, including solar power, nanostructural materials, medicine and biotechnology, engineering, optronics and nano-electronics.

RusNano CEO Anatoly Chubais told Mr Putin about a super-strong carbon fabric that will be used in aircraft construction and later in shipbuilding, car manufacturing, and construction.

The prime minister was shown a device that aids surgery and another that can filter blood plasma without electricity, which would be extremely useful in emergencies such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks.

Mr Putin also examined a device that can detect explosives and drugs in handbags, luggage or in a car. It can detect up to 30 different drugs and explosives in 3-5 minutes with 98% accuracy and generate a 3D image of the substance's location.

At the next display, the prime minister examined a device that can be attached to a TV set to access the internet. A universal electronic card can be inserted in the device to make payments.

Mr Putin also examined a microchip system that could replace bar codes on products. It could make supermarkets much more efficient by replacing cashiers.  Customers would be able to pay for their purchase using plastic cards at the store's exit.