The Maritime Board supported the draft of the updated Maritime Doctrine of the Russian Federation
On May 20, a regular meeting of the Maritime Board under the Government of the Russian Federation was held in St. Petersburg at the Admiralty under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov, dedicated to the results of the country's maritime activities over the past 2021.
Despite the satisfactory state of affairs in the field of maritime activities, concern was voiced in the reports and speeches of the board members and a number of serious shortcomings were noted, creating national security risks.
Thus, in the domestic shipbuilding industry, there is an increasingly acute shortage of components for ships under construction and planned for construction. The problems of the production of marine diesel installations at domestic enterprises and the shortage of engineering and working personnel in the shipbuilding industry, which currently amounts to more than 10 thousand people, were raised.
Under the conditions of Western sanctions, there is an acute shortage of gas carriers and tankers capable of providing the required volumes of hydrocarbon supplies to foreign consumers as part of sea vessels sailing under the state flag of Russia. The aging and deterioration of oceanic-type research vessels is also of particular concern. Other negative trends in the marine industries were also revealed.
The board devoted a significant place to the consideration of the draft of the new edition of the Maritime Doctrine of the Russian Federation. It was noted that the main objectives of the adjustment of the current Maritime Doctrine adopted in 2015 were to take into account changes in the geopolitical and military-strategic conditions in the world and bring the structure and content of the doctrine in line with the new conceptual, regulatory and other documents of the Russian Federation adopted after 2015.
The draft of the new version of the Maritime Doctrine takes into account the targets defined by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 474 dated July 21, 2020 "On the National Development Goals of the Russian Federation until 2030". Specifies and develops, in relation to maritime activities, the main provisions of the National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation (approved by Presidential Decree No. 400 of July 2, 2021); "Fundamentals of the State policy of the Russian Federation in the field of naval activities for the period up to 2030" (approved by Presidential Decree No. 327 of July 20, 2017); "Fundamentals the State Border Policy of the Russian Federation (approved by Presidential Decree No. 174 of April 25, 2018); "Fundamentals of the State policy of the Russian Federation in the Arctic for the period up to 2035" (approved by Presidential Decree No. 164 of March 5, 2020) and a number of other strategic planning documents.
In the speech of the board members, it was emphasized that the main distinguishing feature of the new edition of the Maritime Doctrine is that all priority areas of the national maritime policy are aimed at ensuring the independence and self-sufficiency of Russia in the field of maritime activities.
The innovative and most important provisions of the new edition of the Maritime Doctrine are the provisions of three new sections:
– Section II "National interests, risks, challenges and threats to the national security of the Russian Federation in the World Ocean";
– Section VII "Mobilization training and mobilization readiness in the field of maritime activities";
– Section IX "The procedure for using state policy instruments to protect the national interests of the Russian Federation in the World Ocean".
Section II states for the first time that the national interests of Russia as a great maritime power extend to the entire world Ocean. At the same time, the main national interests in the World Ocean include:
– preservation of the status of a great maritime power for the Russian Federation, whose activities are aimed at strengthening national influence in the emerging polycentric world;
– development of maritime potential and strengthening of the defense capability of the Russian Federation from ocean and sea directions;
– freedom of the high seas, including freedom of navigation, flights, fishing, scientific research, laying of underwater cables and pipelines, the right to explore and develop the mineral resources of the international seabed area;
– ensuring guaranteed access of the Russian Federation to global transport communications in the World Ocean;
– development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation as a strategic resource base and its rational use;
– development of the Northern Sea Route as the national transport communication of the Russian Federation, competitive on the world market.
National interests and their protection are among the highest priorities of our state. For the first time, the areas (zones) of ensuring the national interests of the Russian Federation in the World Ocean are divided into vital, important and others.
In fact, this means that following the designation of red lines on land territories, we are marking red lines at sea for the first time. Where we will defend the interests of the state with all the means available in its arsenal, including military ones.
For the first time, the document defines the Northern Sea Route as a vital national interest of Russia. In the geopolitical situation that has developed due to Western sanctions, the Northern Sea Route, as the most protected national transport communication from external military influence, will become the most important direction that allows the implementation of the largest economic projects of the Russian Federation and uninterrupted trade links with Asian countries. The strategic importance of this provision is confirmed by the decision of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, adopted on April 15, 2022, to allocate an additional 118 billion rubles from the budget. for the construction of two more nuclear icebreakers. This will make it possible to have a grouping of nine nuclear icebreakers in the Arctic zone and carry out year-round cargo transportation along the Northern Sea Route.
Section VII fully takes into account the peculiarities and realities of the escalating geopolitical and military-strategic situation in the world. The document emphasizes the importance of increasing the naval potential due to the timely introduction of pre-prepared civilian vessels into the Navy, the need for timely recall of Russian naval vessels, which does not allow them to be blocked or arrested by unfriendly states, is indicated. The current lack of effective mechanisms to implement this provision has led to the detention and arrest of some of our courts in the West.
Section VII defines the necessary activities for the early retrofitting and arming of civilian vessels, the construction of dual-use vessels, measures for material incentives and compensation for losses incurred during the implementation of mobilization measures. As well as other problems that arose after the destruction of the Soviet system of mobilization training and mobilization in the field of maritime transport.
In the significantly expanded section of the Maritime Doctrine "Fundamentals of State management of maritime activities of the Russian Federation", it is noted that the implementation of priorities for the development of maritime activities requires strengthening the role of state authorities and improving the system of state management of maritime activities. At the same time, it is indicated that the model of public administration should be aimed at more active participation of all levels of public administration in improving the efficiency of maritime activities, achieving understandable socially significant socio-economic results of the country's development in the conditions of total war, which is declared to Russia by the Western world.
The Maritime Board stressed the importance and timeliness of developing a new version of the Maritime Doctrine and the need to submit it for approval to the President of the Russian Federation. The adoption and implementation of the updated Maritime Doctrine will contribute to improving national security, sustainable socio-economic development of the country and strengthening its authority in the international arena.
Vladimir Puchnin
Vladimir Vasilyevich Puchnin is a retired captain of the 1st rank, Doctor of Military Sciences, Professor, leading researcher of JSC "State Scientific Research Navigation and Hydrographic Institute".
