Washington. August 12. INTERFAX-Russia avoids direct confrontation to strengthen its international role, but resorts to pressure against other countries and to cyber operations, the head of the US Strategic Command, Admiral Charles Richard, said on Thursday.
"Russia continues to use a wide range of opportunities that lie below the level of conflict, such as state - sponsored coercion against other countries and (influence - IF) in cyberspace," the Pentagon said in a statement.
According to the admiral, Moscow is seeking to modernize the troops and strategic troops equipped with conventional weapons, and Russia, for which nuclear weapons still play a fundamental role, has re-equipped more than 80% of the strategic nuclear forces. Russia is also actively developing hypersonic weapons and other types of missiles, the commander said.
Speaking about China, he noted that " we are witnessing a strategic breakthrough of China. The explosive growth and modernization of its nuclear and conventional forces can only be what I would call exciting. And frankly, the word "exciting" may not be enough."
According to him, China, in particular, is engaged in medium-range ballistic missiles, ballistic missiles on mobile installations, nuclear ballistic missiles launched from submarines, as well as hypersonic weapons. The Admiral stressed that such weapons are difficult to detect and track with the technical means available to the United States - on the Ground and in space.
According to Richard's estimates, China conducted more ballistic missile tests in 2019 than the rest of the world combined.
"They (China-IF) have the largest fleet in the world, and they have the third largest air Force in the world," the Pentagon quotes the admiral as saying.
