President Vladimir Putin participated in a televised ceremony on Monday to raise the flags of two nuclear submarines, emphasizing their role in a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing Russian naval influence. Putin visited the northern city of Severodvinsk to see the Emperor Alexander the Third and Krasnoyarsk ships at the Sevmash shipbuilding yard.

Putin stated that both nuclear-powered vessels would imminently commence their service in the Pacific, underscoring that they are integral components of two distinct submarine series being introduced by Russia.

"We will quantitatively strengthen the combat readiness of the Russian Navy, our naval power in the Arctic, the Far East, the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Caspian Sea - the most important strategic areas of the world's oceans," he said, flanked by officials and naval officers on an outdoor stage with snowflakes fluttering in the air.

Being the first generation of Russian nuclear submarines introduced since the conclusion of the Cold War, Emperor Alexander III belongs to the new Borei (Arctic Wind) class. Last month the defence ministry said the vessel had successfully tested a nuclear-capable Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile.

Putin said that the Yasen (Ash Tree) class of multipurpose submarines, of which the Krasnoyarsk is a member, is capable of hitting both land and sea targets with its long-range, highly accurate missiles.

Putin, who declared last Friday that he would run for president again in the March election, has frequently emphasised the potential of Russia’s modern weapons, especially its nuclear arsenal, and their use as a deterrence against the West.

Security analysts note that nuclear arms have gained increased significance in his thoughts and rhetoric since the onset of the Ukraine conflict. In this prolonged struggle, where conventional forces are engaged in a protracted war of attrition with no apparent resolution, Putin's emphasis on nuclear capabilities has heightened.

Image source: AP