Putin says Russian Navy will soon have hypersonic missiles five times faster than the speed of sound
- President Putin signed a new naval doctrine and vowed to respond ‘with lightning speed to anyone who decides to encroach on our sovereignty and freedom’
- He said the US is the biggest threat and has a ‘strategic objective to dominate the world’s oceans’, while Nato military is ‘moving towards Russia’s borders’
President Vladimir Putin said Russia’s Navy would soon be fitted with new and powerful Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, which can fly at five times the speed of sound.
As Putin signed a new naval doctrine on Sunday he vowed to respond “with lightning speed to anyone who decides to encroach on our sovereignty and freedom.”
The United States’ quest to dominate the oceans and Nato’s expansion are the biggest threats facing Russia, Putin said.
The 55-page document said the “main challenges and threats” to national security and development were Washington’s “strategic objective to dominate the world’s oceans” and Nato military infrastructure moving towards Russia’s borders.
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“Russia’s independent internal and external policy faces countermeasures from the United States and its allies, who aim to preserve their dominance in the world, including its oceans,” said the doctrine, signed on Russian Navy Day.
Moscow views the Western military alliance – the Soviet Union’s enemy during the Cold War – as an existential threat, using Ukraine’s membership hopes to justify its offensive on February 24.
The doctrine said Moscow will seek to strengthen its leading position in exploring the Arctic and its mineral resources and maintain “strategic stability” there by bolstering the potential of the northern and Pacific fleets.
It also mentioned Russia’s desire to develop a “safe and competitive” sea route from Europe to Asia, known as the Northeast Passage, via the country’s Arctic coastline and ensure it worked throughout the year.
“Today’s Russia cannot exist without a strong fleet … and will defend its interests in the world’s oceans firmly and with resolution,” the doctrine added.
The Zircon missiles will enter service soon, according to Putin, who said theywould be delivered in the coming months. The Admiral Gorshkov frigate is to be the first to be equipped with them.
