Russia has been working exhausting to bolster its naval capabilities, the nation’s chief Vladimir Putin stated on Thursday.
“Lots has been performed on this space, as our navy is getting new ships,” Putin stated throughout a gathering on shipbuilding points, in accordance with Russian state media outlet TASS.
Russia’s navy is ready to obtain greater than 40 ships and boats this yr, stated Putin. This exceeds the 33 and 24 vessels it obtained in 2023 and 2022, respectively.
The increase in naval capability, Putin stated, is a part of Russia’s wider plans to “comprehensively improve the navy, together with its ship, plane, and coastal elements, in addition to the infrastructure of bases.”
He added that the upgrades to Russia’s navy will “strengthen its positions within the strategically essential areas of the world ocean” and “drastically enhance its fight potential.”
The transfer will surely present a lift to Russia’s navy, which has weathered important losses ever for the reason that nation invaded Ukraine in 2022.
In February, the top of the UK’s armed forces, Adm. Sir Tony Radakin, stated that 25% of Russia’s vessels within the Black Sea had been “sunk or broken” by Ukraine.
“Putin’s continued unlawful occupation of Ukraine is exacting a large price on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which is now functionally inactive,” UK protection secretary Grant Shapps stated a month later.
Russia’s protection ministry didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from BI despatched exterior common enterprise hours.