Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a new naval strategy, with the ambition to bring Russia back to the top of the world's maritime powers.
This information was confirmed by Mr. Nikolai Patrushev - Kremlin assistant.
The strategy, titled Russian Navy Development Strategy to 2050, was adopted by Putin at the end of May. According to Patrushev, who was a KGB officer and worked with Putin in St. Petersburg. Petersburg under the Soviet era, the document laid the foundation for a recovery of Russia's naval position, which has been gradually consolidated after many losses in the conflict in Ukraine.
Russias position as one of the worlds greatest maritime powers is gradually being restored, said Patrushev. He emphasized that it is impossible to modernize the naval force without a long-term vision of the situation of the oceans, potential threats, as well as specific goals that the Russian Navy needs to achieve.
Although he did not disclose details about the strategy, Mr. Patrushev affirmed that this document will be a guideline for the development orientation of the Russian Navy in the coming decades. In that context, Russia is sharply increasing defense and security spending, bringing the investment level to nearly the same as the Cold War rate as GDP.
According to many public rankings, the Russian Navy currently ranks 3rd in the world after China and the US, with about 222 warships and 79 destroyers - including 14 nuclear-powered biological destroyers carrying ballistic missiles. Russia's main fleet is the Northern Fleet, headquartered in Severomorsk on the Barents coast.
However, the force has also suffered significant losses during its involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. The reform and reshaping of the strategy is seen as an effort to strengthen deterrence and protect Russia's interests in the oceans in the long term.
