I guess moving toward a more accurate rifle is an attempt to show that Russia is becoming more modern. But the AK-47 is, in its own way, a Russian icon. I don’t think they can just scrap it. I suspect they’ll come up with some kind of upgraded version that allows them to retain the AK-47 image.
They won’t buy small arms abroad en-masse. Never. And they don’t use Ak-47 since 1959. A 1974 model Ak-74m is almost as accurate as any Armalite design.
And they have a lot of companies offering much better staff than low end Kalashnikov infanrtry rifles, thus not even close as cheap.
I bet an idea of their DoD statement is a pressure on a domestic makers to lower prices and increase quality control.