Putin Accelerates Buildup of Russian Military Power

(Source thetrumpet.com) Russia’s military power was on glaring display in recent days with a milestone reached in warship modernization, three landmark missile launches, and a breakthrough in tactical weapons development. On November 20, Moscow announced that 2020 set a record for the number of advanced vessels added to the Russian Navy. The massive rollout equates to a 33 percent increase in the amount of advanced naval hardware—accomplished in just one year. Russia also conducted three missile launches in recent days, showing a dramatic increase in its nuclear strike capacities. On November 23, the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy announced that its 885M Kazan nuclear submarine had struck a coastal target 620 miles away with a Kalibr cruise missile. The successful test marked one of the final hurdles the 64-man submarine needed to clear before officially joining the Russian Navy later this year. Two days later, Russia’s newest corvette struck a sea target for the first time with a nuclear-capable Uranus missile. Geopolitical Futures called this a “conspicuous missile test” since it happened hours after the Russian Navy intercepted the uss John S. McCain in the same location. Russia denied that the test was related to the interception, but in either case, the landmark launch shows that the Russian Navy is growing more lethal. The next day, the Russian Navy tested a hypersonic cruise ballistic missile that reached speeds of over 6,000 miles per hour. The nuclear-capable weapon, known as the Mach 8 Tsirkon, is of a class that has been touted as “unstoppable” by Russian President Vladimir Putin. This is not just because of its mind-blowing speeds, but also maneuverability that allows the trajectory to be suddenly changed midflight. The combination of hypersonic speeds and intricate maneuverability means such missiles could evade even the most advanced known defense systems.