Putin unveils naval might
VLADIMIR Putin yesterday warned the West that the Russian Navy will be armed with hypersonic nuclear strike weapons and underwater nuclear drones.
The combative Kremlin chief claimed his hypersonic Avangard system, which can travel at 20 times the speed of sound, would boost Russia’s “combat capabilities”.
President Putin also announced 40 new vessels for his fleet yesterday as he carried out the annual Navy Day inspection of his seagoing military might.
The weapons, some of which have yet to be deployed, include the Poseidon underwater nuclear drone, designed to be carried by submarines, and Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic cruise missile, which can be deployed on surface ships.
Mr Putin said: “Deployment of advanced digital technologies that have no equals in the world, including hypersonic strike systems and underwater drones, will give the fleet unique advantages and increased combat capabilities.” He said the deployment of 40 ships and vessels of different classes this year – including six long-distance – would “demonstrate the growing power of our navy”.
Mr Putin has made modernising Moscow’s military firepower a key priority since his relationship with the West first soured over the Crimea conflict six years ago.
He has previously dubbed the Avangard system – already thought to be in service – a “fireball” and “meteorite” which can reach almost any part of the globe.
Experts say the combination of speed, manoeuvrability and altitude makes them difficult to track and intercept.
Last year, Mr Putin said the West was “playing catch-up with us”, adding: “Not a single country possesses hypersonic weapons, let alone continental-range hypersonic weapons.”
He threatened to deploy the hypersonic missiles on ships and submarines, lurking outside US territorial waters, if Washington tried to use intermediate nuclear weapons in Europe.
Cyber
Britain yesterday confirmed it will take steps to protect itself against military threats from Russia and China in a sweeping review of the country’s defences.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said his ministry will be “pivoting away” from a focus on conventional warfare to “operate much more in the newest domains of space, cyber and sub-sea”.
His comments come after Britain and US accused Russia of testing an anti-satellite weapon in space earlier this month.
Mr Wallace said China is also “developing offensive space weapons”, a move which has prompted the most comprehensive review of Britain’s defence capabilities since the ColdWar.