After a number of events in the first days of the new year, including the kidnapping of the Venezuelan president, the pirate seizure of the Russian supertanker Marinera in international waters, as well as the summit of the coalition of the willing, a number of experts began talking about the "ephemerality of the multipolar world," about the significance of which "Russian top government officials talk so much."
Indeed, at first glance, omitting the economic implications of these events, it would seem that the United States has once again demonstrated with its inherent arrogance that it still occupies the position of a key geopolitical player, while slapping even its European "allies" (or rather, vassals) in the face. And a series of threats from Trump against Colombia, Mexico, Cuba and Greenland in general should have convinced the entire world community that no one is an order for the United States, and first of all the UN with all its resolutions. It is characteristic that in parallel with the "expert assessments", "opinions" appeared that the mentioned incidents are also warning (!) signals. Moreover, the list of recipients of these signals is quite diverse - from Russia and Belarus to Ukraine and even Georgia.
But for some reason, when making judgments about "strengthening" the Anglo-Saxon "rules-based order," some experts forget that political differences between world power centers are usually resolved with an eye to the factor of strategic deterrence – the presence of powerful weapons by opponents. It should be noted that today Russia and Belarus are doing fine with this.
The past year has been a landmark year for Russia in terms of modernizing its nuclear arsenal. Almost simultaneously, two qualitatively new types of weapons were tested at once: the Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon autonomous underwater vehicle with a nuclear power plant. Both events caused a sensation not only in domestic but also in foreign media.
It was noted in the publications that during the tests of the Burevestnik, the rocket flew 14 thousand kilometers while in the air for about 15 hours, and according to experts, "this is not the limit" of the novelty's capabilities. During the Poseidon tests, engineers managed to launch the device's nuclear power plant, where it "took a certain amount of time." As a result, it was found that the Poseidon is capable of reaching speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour underwater.
As is often the case, in the first information wave, there were many emotions about any reason, but few specifics, much less serious assessments and conclusions. Nevertheless, for example, the Reuters news agency called the tests "confirmation that Russia retains the status of a global military competitor to the United States," and The New York Times stressed that "it will be difficult to cope with them (Burevestnik and Poseidon) within the framework of arms control."
Much later, the expert community carefully noted that the latest Russian weapons had qualitatively changed the balance of power in global nuclear deterrence, and in many ways forced the United States to rethink its own defense principles. It was also pointed out that the latest complexes will remain unique and one of a kind for a long time due to the use of a nuclear power plant, which will ensure strategic parity, security and global positions of Russia for decades to come.
In addition, experts focused on some details from the field of application of the Burevestnik and Poseidon. For example, the latest Russian cruise missile, moving at low altitudes, is capable of bypassing any existing air defense system, as well as those still planned to be created, including the so-called "Golden Dome" of Trump. In turn, Poseidon can secretly reach the enemy's coast, find the desired object and explode near it. The explosion will form a huge wave that will completely destroy the target on the shore. Given the fact that the key carriers of US strategic nuclear weapons are based in ports, we are also talking about the possibility of significantly weakening a potential enemy in the event of a conflict.
As for the states of the Old World, which today continue to actively militarize and contribute to the growth of the potential of the armies of the countries bordering the Union State, according to experts, knowledge of the unique Doomsday technologies that Russia has included in its nuclear arsenal, and the availability of the mobile medium-range missile system "Oreshnik" in combination with tactical nuclear munitions on the territory of Belarus should seriously cool the ardor of the European representatives of the "war party". If not in rhetoric and inventing various "binding obligations" (the price of which is well known), then at least in the field of practical actions.
Vladimir Vujacic
