On Monday, President Vladimir Putin stood shoulder-to-shoulder with naval officers and officials in the northern city of Severodvinsk for a televised flag-raising ceremony for two nuclear submarines. Severodvinsk, home to the Sevmash shipbuilding yard, hosted the ceremony.
During the event, Putin announced that the two nuclear-powered vessels, Emperor Alexander III and Krasnoyarsk, would soon join the Russian Pacific fleet. He emphasized their significance as part of two distinct submarine series, aligning with Russia’s strategy to bolster its naval presence globally.
“We will quantitatively strengthen the combat readiness of the Russian Navy, our naval power in the Arctic, the Far East, the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Caspian Sea – the most important strategic areas of the world’s oceans,” Putin stated against the backdrop of falling snowflakes.
Emperor Alexander III, part of the Borei (Arctic Wind) class, is the first of a new generation of Russian nuclear submarines launched since the end of the Cold War. Last month, the defense ministry reported its successful test-fire of the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile with nuclear capability.
Krasnoyarsk, a member of the Yasen (Ash Tree) class of multipurpose submarines, was highlighted by Putin for its capability to launch long-range, highly accurate missiles, targeting both land and sea.
Last Friday, Putin declared he’s running for president again in the upcoming March elections. He’s been talking a lot about how strong Russia’s modern weapons are, especially their big nuclear arsenal. He says it keeps the Western forces away from causing trouble.
Security analysts have observed a shift in Putin’s public speech and thinking, as there seems to be greater emphasis on nuclear power since the Ukrainian crisis began and conventional forces found themselves in a continual, draining struggle.
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