Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia will further strengthen its nuclear forces. For example, new hypersonic missiles will be developed, existing modern weapon systems will be rolled out more quickly, and more nuclear submarines will be taken into service.
According to Putin, expanding Russia’s nuclear arsenal is a condition for guaranteeing the country’s sovereignty.
“We will pay more attention to strengthening the nuclear triad (nuclear missiles on land, at sea, and in the air, ed.),” Putin said in a speech on the occasion of the “Defenders of the Fatherland Day”. This year, for example, intercontinental ballistic RS-28 Sarmat missiles – a weapon that can carry multiple nuclear warheads and is nicknamed the “Satan II missile” – will be fielded for the first time this year.
“We will also continue to mass-produce hypersonic airborne Kinzhal systems and begin mass delivery of hypersonic Zircon missiles at sea,” Putin also said. Russia will begin military exercises in South Africa with China on Friday and has sent a frigate to the country equipped with the Zircon missiles.
“With the addition of the Emperor Alexander III nuclear submarine to our navy (in December, ed.), our strategic nuclear forces at sea will have 100 percent modern weapons and equipment at their disposal,” Putin also said. He also announced that three new similar nuclear submarines would be commissioned in the near future. Nuclear submarines of that class can launch 16 Bulava ballistic missiles.
Putin also announced in the same breath that Russia would continue to invest in its conventional forces in the form of “better training”, “more advanced equipment”, “a stronger arms industry”, and “promoting military personnel who prove themselves in the field “battlefield”. “A modern, efficient army and navy are a guarantee of the security and sovereignty of the country and of its stable development and future,” said the president.
On Tuesday, Putin announced that Russia would suspend its cooperation in the New START nuclear disarmament treaty: US inspections of compliance with the nuclear weapons limitation of both countries will no longer be allowed. He also scrapped planned talks on a new treaty on the limitation of long-range nuclear missiles in response to US President Joe Biden’s surprise visit to Kyiv.
