Rearmament and new weapons: Putin issues new naval doctrine

Russian President Putin has enacted a new naval doctrine. This provides for hypersonic weapons for ships and an upgrade of Crimea. There is said to have been an attack on the Russian fleet there.

At a parade of warships in St. Petersburg, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin enacted a new naval doctrine. It stipulates that the US quest for dominance on the world’s oceans is a “challenge to Russia’s national security”.

The document signed by Putin at the “Naval Forces Day” also stipulates that the military infrastructure on the annexed Black Sea peninsula of Crimea should be expanded. In addition, the construction of modern aircraft carriers is planned.

New hypersonic weapon for the Navy

At the same time, Putin announced that the new hypersonic sea missile “Zirkon” would soon be put into service. Delivery of the missiles will begin in the next few months, with the frigate “Admiral Gorshkov” being the first to be equipped with them. Hypersonic weapons have a multiple of the speed of sound of around 343 meters per second.

At the performance in front of thousands of spectators, Putin did not directly address the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. He thanked the Navy for its missions, which it has carried out for centuries, and praised its high level of defense readiness. Russia also has numerous warships deployed in the Black Sea for its attacks on Ukraine.

Drone attack on Russian Black Sea Fleet?

In Crimea, Russian celebrations in honor of the Navy have been canceled. The reason given was that the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet had been attacked with a drone. The press service of the fleet announced that the apparently self-made drone carried a weak explosive device. Sevastopol Mayor Mikhail Rasvozhaev said five people were injured. He blamed Ukraine for the attack.

However, Ukraine denied attacking the Russian fleet in Sevastopol. The Russian allegations are “a deliberate provocation,” said a spokesman for the Odessa regional administration in a video published on Telegram. “The liberation of occupied Ukrainian Crimea will be done in a different, much more effective way.”