Russian Navy Must Modernize 70% Of Ships By 2027 - Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the navy on Monday to achieve at least 70% modernization of its fleet within the next six years in order to ensure that the country's naval forces are "strong and balanced."

KUBINKA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd August, 2021) Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the navy on Monday to achieve at least 70% modernization of its fleet within the next six years in order to ensure that the country's naval forces are "strong and balanced."

Putin joined the keel laying ceremony of the Russian navy by videolink. He ordered the formal start of work for the leading Russian shipbuilding companies, including Sevmash in the city of Severodvinsk, Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg, and the Amur Shipbuilding Plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

"In the coming years, you will have serious work to do to fulfill the state defense order and the plans outlined in the state armament program, so that in six years, in 2027, the share of modern ships in the navy can reach 70%," Putin said.

The president said that "a strong sovereign Russia needs a strong and balanced navy."

"It [the navy] plays a key role in the country's security system. It reliably protects our national interests and contributes significantly to the strengthening of strategic parity and international stability," he said.

The Russian government is determined to continue to develop the country's maritime strength, including by means of improving the navy's infrastructure and positioning and conducting complex naval exercises.

The president said that such ambitious goals are necessitated by Russia's geopolitical position and its role in global affairs.