Russia's Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Alexander Moiseyev recently hyped Moscow's growing fleet of ships and submarines as tensions between the Eastern European country and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) continue.
Newsweek reached out to Russia's defense ministry via email and NATO via online form for comment late Sunday afternoon.
Why It Matters
Tensions between Russia and NATO are at the highest level in decades amid the Russia-Ukraine war. NATO has supported Ukraine in the war and condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of the country, which kicked off nearly three years ago in February 2022.
Putin and senior Russian officials have repeatedly threatened nuclear escalation against Kyiv and its Western allies if necessary since the start of the conflict. In November 2024, Russia updated its nuclear doctrine to lower the threshold for nuclear weapons use after the United States allowed Kyiv to use longer-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to strike deep inside Russia. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has been expanding its submarine fleet, which includes adding nuclear-powered vessels.
What To Know
Moiseyev was quoted in a Russian Defense Ministry statement that the Navy brought in roughly 30 vessels last year.
"In 2024, the Navy was reinforced with about 30 ships of various classes and support vessels, including the diesel-electric submarine Kronstadt and the small missile ship Amur," he said, Russian state news agency Tass reported Saturday.
What Submarines Does Russia Have?
The Project 885M (Yasen-M) nuclear-powered missile submarine called Arkhangelsk went into service with the Northern Fleet in December 2024.
The Project 885/885M nuclear-powered submarines Severodvinsk, Kazan, Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk, are also in the Russian Navy's possession, bolstering the country's maritime capabilities. Armed with Oniks and Kalibr-PL cruise missiles as their primary strike weapons, these submarines exemplify the cutting edge of Russia's naval power.
Meanwhile, Project 23550 ice-class patrol ship Nikolay Zubov was also recently launched.
What People Are Saying
Russia's Defense Minister Andrei Belousov warned last month of a direct conflict between Moscow and NATO within the next decade: "[Preparing for war] has been shown by the decisions made at NATO summit held in July of this year." He added that Moscow "must be prepared for any development, including a possible military conflict with NATO in Europe in the next decade."
U.S. Department of Defense spokesperson Javan Rasnake told Newsweek shortly following Belousov's comments that "the United States condemns irresponsible, escalatory rhetoric. Also, the United States and NATO do not seek a military conflict with Russia."
President-elect Donald Trump said at a mid-December 2024 news conference, "We're trying to get the war stopped, that horrible, horrible war that's going on in Ukraine, Russia, Ukraine. We're going to get a little progress, it's a tough one, it's a nasty one."
What Happens Next
More ships and weapons will be received by the Russian Navy this year, Tass reported, citing Moiseyev. Meanwhile, the third anniversary of the start of the Russia-Ukraine war will be held on February 24.
Ukraine has put up a surprisingly good fight against Russia with the help of its Western allies. President Joe Biden has been a close ally to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, with Trump replacing Biden later this month, it's unclear how America's position in the war may change.
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