Putin promises Russian Navy 26 new ships this year
The Russian Navy will acquire 26 new ships in 2018, four of them equipped with Kalibr anti-air missile systems, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced during his Navy Day address in Saint Petersburg on Sunday July 29, Interfax reports.
“Overall, in 2018 the fleet is scheduled to acquire 26 new ships, boats and vessels, including four ships with Kalibr missile systems,” Putin said during his speech.
According to the Russian president, since the start of the year, four ships – one anti-sabotage boat and three supply vessels – have already joined the Navy.
“This is a huge achievement by the employees of our ship construction sector, the result of their professionalism and responsible attitude to the task,” Putin said, after pointing out the rapid rate at which the Navy is being modernized.
The Russian president also added that the modernization and re-armament of the Navy should drive a “technological breakthrough” for Russia, since the Navy is the first to assimilate the achievements of science and engineering.
The Navy Day parade featured marines from Russia’s Baltic, Black Sea, North and Pacific Fleets, as well as its Caspian Flotilla.
The parade in Saint Petersburg was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who welcomed the crews of small missile ship “Serpukhov”, corvette “Boykiy”, large anti-submarine ship “Severomorsk”, large landing ship “Ivan Gren”, communications vessel “Ivan Khurs”, missile cruiser “Marshal Ustinov” and frigate “Admiral Gorshkov”. He also welcomed the crews of diesel-electric submarine “Vladikavkaz” and atomic submarine “Orel”.
Naval parades in honor of Navy Day were also held in Vladivostok, Sevastopol, Severomorsk and Syrian Tartus.