The strategic missile-carrying submarine forces of the Russian Federation are on high combat alert, stated the commander of the Russian fleet, Admiral Aleksandr Moiseev.
“They are on high combat alert, which has been repeatedly confirmed during control inspections through exercises conducted annually under the command of the President of Russia,” he affirmed in an interview given to the Krasnaia Zvezda publication, quoted by EFE and taken up by Agerpres.
The statements were made on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the establishment of the Russian submarine fleet, created by the decree of Tsar Nicholas II, who introduced the submarine as a new class of military vessels.
Admiral Moiseev emphasized the central role of the Borei class nuclear submarines, which can launch Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles and torpedoes. According to him, these vessels will remain in service until the middle of the century and even longer, due to their extensive modernization capabilities.
Currently, Russia has eight operational submarines of this class, and the Sevmash shipyard is building two more upgraded Borei-A units, “Dmitri Donskoi” and “Kniaz Potemkin”.
In parallel, Moscow intends to replace, in the next decade, the third-generation multifunctional submarines with the new Yasen and Yasen-M models, considered harder to detect due to their reduced acoustic signature. These will be equipped with modern missile systems, including Kalibr, Onix, and Tsirkon, in addition to underwater weaponry.
In the context of geopolitical tensions and competition for influence in the Arctic and the world’s oceans, the Russian submarine forces play “an important role in strategic deterrence and in ensuring global security,” Moiseev further stated, describing these troops as the “elite of the Russian navy”.