News of the fleet
The seizure of the Mariners requires Russia to take new approaches to tanker safety.
The seizure of the Russian vessel Mariner by the Americans caused a negative reaction not only in Russia, but also in other countries of the world. Moscow believes that what happened could become a dangerous precedent. Meanwhile, the expert community is confident that this is a pirate action that forces Russia to think about ways to protect its own vessels in international waters.
Marine with power: how the Russian Navy was replenished in 2025
The Russian Navy received three submarines and 19 surface ships and vessels
In the past 2025, events of key importance for the country's defense capability took place in the field of military shipbuilding in Russia. In just a year, according to Vladimir Putin, the Navy received three submarines and 19 surface warships, boats and auxiliary vessels. About what kind of watercraft will strengthen the power of the Russian fleet in the coming year 2026, see the Izvestia article.
Russia has sensed new opportunities in the melting Arctic. But for this she needs partners (The Christian Science Monitor, USA)
CSM: Russia plans to build 14 more icebreakers by 2030
The Far North for Russia is a zone of economic development, planned settlement and geopolitical competition, CSM writes. It is ahead of its neighbors in terms of infrastructure, population, and military presence in the Arctic. Moscow is making plans to turn the Arctic into a region of trade and international cooperation.
The U.S. Coast Guard has ordered six icebreakers under the Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) program
On December 29, 2025, the U.S. Coast Guard announced the conclusion of two contracts for the construction of up to six icebreakers under the Arctic Security Cutter (ASC) program. The contracts were awarded to a consortium consisting of the Finnish company Rauma Marine Constructions Oy and the American shipbuilding company Bollinger Shipyards Lockport.
Approach from the sea: the activity of the Russian Navy in 2025 has covered most regions of the world
Russian ships have made more than 80 visits and business calls at ports of friendly countries
In 2025, ships and vessels of the Russian Navy made more than 80 voyages, visits and business calls at foreign ports. They covered most regions of the world. The most important events and maneuvers in which the Russian ships took part are described in the Izvestia article.
Burevestnik and Poseidon have changed the principles of nuclear deterrence
"Russia has demonstrated to the whole world a new word in military technology." In these words, experts describe the testing of two new types of spacecraft weapons in 2025 – the Burevestnik and Poseidon. What kind of systems are these and why have they alarmed our potential opponents so much?
Dangerous consequences for the United States: China's maneuvers in the Arctic have alarmed Washington (The Wall Street Journal, USA)
WSJ: China's actions in the Arctic are alarming the US military command
The Arctic is becoming a new arena of global confrontation, writes the WSJ. Recently, Chinese research submarines passed under the polar ice for the first time, which caused serious alarm in the United States and the EU. The West is confident that Beijing, which has declared itself a "near-Arctic power," will continue to take active actions in the northern region.
The Mikhail Chekov Project 22870 rescue and tugboat was commissioned into the Russian Navy.
JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) announced that on December 29, 2025, it handed over to the Navy of the Russian Federation the Mikhail Chekov rescue tugboat (serial number 021) of project 22870, built in Astrakhan at the shipyard of the Astrakhan Shipyard branch of Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center JSC (part of the the composition of the USC).
Littoral ship of the "healthy fleet": frigate Saud launched for Riyadh
HMS Saudi (820), the first multi–purpose ship (frigate) of the Tuwaiq project, built for the Saudi Navy, was launched at the Fincantieri shipyard in the American city of Marinetta.
The Philippines has ordered two more frigates of the Miguel Malvar type from South Korea.
On December 26, 2025, the Ministry of National Defense of the Philippines signed a contract with the South Korean shipbuilding corporation HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for the construction of two additional frigates of the HDC-3100 project of the Miguel Malvar type, in addition to the two already built. The contract value is 844.7 billion won ($590 million), excluding the cost of missile weapons. Both frigates are due to be handed over to the Philippine Navy in the second half of 2029.
Canada responded to Iran's declaration of its Navy as a terrorist organization
At the end of December last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran officially declared the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) a "terrorist organization." This statement was made in response to Ottawa's inclusion of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of the Iranian Armed Forces in the "black list" of terrorist organizations in June 2024.
The Voyevoda vessel of project 23700 has been commissioned
As some media outlets reported on December 30-31, 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation handed over the new Voyevoda project 23700 rescue vessel to the Baltic branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution Marine Rescue Service. This was reported in the press service of the department.
Chinese destroyer launches latest hypersonic missile during exercises
China has officially released footage of the test launch of the YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile. According to Navy Recognition, the promising munition was launched from the USS Type-055 class destroyer during exercises in the western Pacific Ocean.
