Russian authorities will continue to develop the national navy’s potential and equip Russian fleets with cutting-edge weapons and technologies, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday during a videoconference of keel-laying ceremony for battleships and submarines.
Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the construction of new nuclear submarines and other warships on Monday, as part of a broad military modernization effort amid Western tensions.
Putin instructed shipyards in Severodvinsk, St. Petersburg, and Komsomolsk-on-Amur to build two nuclear submarines armed with intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as two diesel-powered submarines and two corvettes, according to AP.
“We will continue ramping up Russia’s navy potential, perfect the basing system and navy infrastructure, fit the most advanced weaponry and equipment on ships, train difficult tasks at drills and in long-distance voyages as well as display the Russian flag in strategically important regions of the world’s oceans,” Putin said.
The Russian navy already has a significant presence in the Mediterranean Sea, with a naval base in Tartus, Syria. It has expanded and modified the Tartus base, Russia’s only such facility outside the former Soviet Union.
Monday’s ceremony for the new ships was part of the Army-2021 show intended to showcase military might and attract foreign customers for Russia’s arms industries. The weeklong show features aircraft, tanks, missiles and other weapons.
“Many of our weapons have the capabilities that have no analogues in the world, and some will remain unrivaled for a long time to come,” Putin said.
