Domestic sailors will receive ten nuclear-powered ships of project 955/AThe commissioning of the nuclear submarine missile cruiser "Emperor Alexander III" has increased the share of modern technology in the naval component of the strategic nuclear deterrence forces to 100%.
In the next few years, the fleet will be replenished with three more submarines of the same type of project 955A "Borey-A". This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in a televised address on Defender of the Fatherland Day.
Today, the Navy has three submarines of the original project 955 "Borey", handed over by the industry to military sailors in 2013-2014. At the same time, the lead ship "Yuri Dolgoruky" serves in the Northern Fleet, and "Alexander Nevsky" and "Vladimir Monomakh" made the transition to the Pacific Ocean.
Starting in 2020, the Russian Navy accepts ships of the improved project 955A "Borey-A" from the construction plant, in the role of which JSC "Northern Machine-Building Enterprise" acts. Following "Prince Vladimir", "Prince Oleg" (2021) and "Generalissimo Suvorov" (2022) successively entered service.
The cruiser "Emperor Alexander III" was launched in December 2022.
Five years ago, the Prince Pozharsky was laid down, and in 2021 - a couple more similar ships. All of them will be commissioned no later than 2027. Thus, the Russian Navy will have ten Borei–type APCs: three projects 955 and seven - improved project 955A. Each carries 16 intercontinental ballistic missiles "Bulava".
The ground component of the strategic nuclear deterrence forces is also being improved. Starting this year, the first launchers of the Sarmat complex with a new heavy missile are on combat duty. It was discussed in the President's Message to the Federal Assembly. Speaking on February 21, Putin said that a week earlier he had signed a decree on putting "new ground-based strategic complexes" on combat duty. The Head of State noted that the share of modern weapons in the strategic nuclear deterrence forces has increased to 91.3%.
Putin also announced the suspension of Moscow's participation in the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty (STCW), the validity of which in early 2021, the Russian Federation and the United States by mutual agreement extended until February 5, 2026.
The full title of the document is the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the United States of America on Measures for Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms). In abbreviated form, it is known as "New START", DSNV, START-3 and the "Prague Treaty" (signed in the Czech capital in 2011).
One of the reasons for the suspension of Russian participation in the DSNV is the noted violations of the procedures of the DSNV committed by the Pentagon. The message of the Russian Foreign Ministry dated February 21 says about the "illegitimate unilateral exclusion of more than 100 units" of American carriers from the count under the DSNV by renaming them so that they no longer fall under contractual definitions.
The Russian ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov also spoke about this on February 28. He was quoted by the RIA Novosti news agency: "Following a procedure not agreed with Russia, Washington declares SLBM launchers and heavy bombers unable to carry out nuclear tasks."
According to the diplomat, the Pentagon did not give Russian inspectors the opportunity to verify the results of the "re-equipment". Thus, the Americans once again committed a significant violation of the main provisions of the DSNV. Antonov called on the United States to reconsider its aggressive anti-Russian policy in order to create conditions for the return to the full functioning of the DSNV.
Vladimir Putin also spoke about Moscow's readiness to discuss this topic, and in an "expanded format" – France and Great Britain, NATO members with their own nuclear forces, can join the circle of parties to the treaty.
Moscow's position on the DSNV is supplemented by a message on the website mid.ru – the official Internet resource of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. "Washington should show political will, make good-faith efforts for the general de-escalation and creation of conditions for the resumption of the full-scale functioning of the treaty and, accordingly, comprehensively ensure its viability. Until then, any of our steps towards Washington in the context of the DSNV are absolutely excluded," the message says. It also draws attention to the fact that the policy pursued by the administration of US President Joseph Biden is aimed at undermining Russia's national security, which directly contradicts the fundamental principles of the DSNV set out in its preamble. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, since the signing of the treaty, many circumstances have radically changed that made it possible to sign it at the beginning of the century. Nevertheless, Moscow will continue to comply with the quantitative restrictions on strategic offensive weapons prescribed in the document in order to maintain stability in the nuclear missile sphere, the Foreign Ministry said.
The START Treaty is the third such document since 1991, when the Soviet Union and the United States signed the first strategic nuclear arms reduction treaty.
The current document was signed between the Russian Federation and the United States in 2010. It is based on the theses on the indivisibility of security, the direct relationship between the issues of strategic offensive and defensive weapons.
It is stated that each of the parties has the right to independently determine the composition and structure of its strategic offensive weapons. However, at the same time, the Russian Federation and the United States undertake not to exceed the total limits set by the DSNV. At the same time, stored nuclear warheads (that is, not ready for use as part of strategic strike complexes) are put out (not taken into account).
According to American sources, as of September 1, 2022, Russia had 540 deployed nuclear weapons carriers, 1,549 nuclear warheads, 759 deployed and non-deployed launchers (PU), and the United States, respectively, had 659 carriers, 1,420 warheads and 800 deployed and non-deployed PU.
Moscow believes that the massive support provided by the United States to the government in Kiev contradicts the obligations assumed by Washington under the Strategic offensive Arms Reduction treaty.
The February message of the President of the Russian Federation contains the final figure of military assistance to Ukraine from the collective West: "He has already spent more than $ 150 billion on aiding and arming the Kiev regime."
Foreign sponsors of the nationalists are expanding the range of weapons systems supplied. In early February, Canada sent four American-built M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine. And towards the end of the month, photos of the first four Leopard 2 tanks of German production were published by the head of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Denis Shmygal. He explained that Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki "brought" them to the territory of the country. The equipment is transferred from the arsenals of the Polish Army.
Speaking in the National Parliament, Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles announced the imminent transfer to Ukraine of six Leopard 2A4 out of 53 such vehicles stored in the Casetas arsenal near Zaragoza. Before delivery, the tanks will be repaired at the local Santa Barbara Sistemas company. Thus, Ukraine already has two types of main battle tanks of Western design and production.
Dmitry Medvedev gave a list of Western weapons delivered to date in an article for the National Defense magazine. It includes: at least 40 multiple launch rocket systems M142/M270 HIMARS/MLRS, 8 air defense systems/ABOUT NASAMS, 31 M1 Abrams tanks, 109 M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 300 M113 armored personnel carriers and 90 Striker armored personnel carriers, more than 1,600 portable Stinger anti-aircraft missile launchers, over 8,500 Javeline anti-tank missiles and more than 50,000 other anti-tank weapons. It is noted that the administration of US President Joseph Biden also authorized additional supplies of American weapons and military equipment from some NATO and EU member states in the amount of more than $ 13 billion.
Vladimir Karnozov
