Russia is celebrating “Navy Day”: President Putin is taking the opportunity to celebrate and presenting a new doctrine.
+++ 15:27: Russia sees the USA and NATO as the “greatest threats” to its national security. The new naval doctrine, signed by President Vladimir Putin during a ceremonial naval parade in St. Petersburg on Sunday, specifically states Washington’s “strategic goal of dominating the world’s oceans” and the “convergence of NATO’s military infrastructure with Russian borders.” as dangers. Moscow also wants to strengthen its position in the Arctic.
“Russia’s domestic and foreign policies are subject to countermeasures by the United States and its allies in an attempt to maintain their dominance over the world, including the seas,” said the 55-page document that Putin read on the occasion of the proclaimed Russian Fleet Day signed. “Today’s Russia cannot exist without a strong navy,” it said. It will “strongly and resolutely defend” its interests on the high seas.
Accordingly, Moscow also wants to strengthen its leading position in exploration of the Arctic and the raw materials located there and ensure “strategic stability” by expanding the North and Pacific Fleets.
Navy Day: Putin unveils new military doctrine – Here’s what it includes
+++ 2:00 p.m .: Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a new doctrine for the military fleet on “Navy Day”. This came into effect on Sunday. The central message of the doctrine is that the USA’s striving for dominance must be stopped. This is a “challenge to Russia’s national security”.
The concept also envisages a massive expansion of the navy. The military infrastructure on the annexed Crimean peninsula, for example, is to be greatly expanded and numerous, ultra-modern aircraft carriers are to be used to strengthen several naval bases. Most relevant for the Ukraine war, however, is the fact that Putin announced that the Navy would be armed with hypersonic missiles (“Zirkon” type). Russia has been developing this for some time, and the rocket has already been referred to as “Putin’s secret weapon” in specialist circles. In his speech in St. Petersburg, however, Putin left open whether these will actually be used in the war of aggression against Ukraine.
Day of the Navy: celebrations in Crimea have been cancelled
+++ 12.15 p.m .: On the annexed peninsula of Crimea, the celebrations for “Navy Day” were canceled at short notice. This is reported by a correspondent for the news channel ntv . The cancellation is based on concerns about another suspected Ukrainian attack after the drone attack on the Black Sea Fleet on Sunday morning. The government in Kyiv denies being responsible. Russia reproaches the Zelenskyi government for this.
+++ 11.30 a.m .: The Russian Navy is to receive “Zircon” hypersonic cruise missiles in the coming months. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in his speech on “Navy Day” in St. Petersburg, as reported by the Reuters news agency. “The frigate Admiral Gorshkov will be the first to go into combat with these impressive weapons on board,” he said, praising the missiles as unique in the world.
The area where the missiles will be used will depend on Russian interests. He did not mention Ukraine, but explained that he had signed a new naval doctrine. So it seems possible that the hypersonic missiles could be used in the Ukraine war.
Navy Day: President Vladimir Putin is expected in St. Petersburg
+++ 10.30 a.m .: Russia celebrates “Navy Day” on Sunday (July 31). Among others, President Vladimir Putin is expected in St. Petersburg. A parade with warships, planes and thousands of soldiers is to take place there, the Kremlin said. In addition to St. Petersburg, military parades are also planned in other parts of Russia to demonstrate power in the Ukraine war. The Russian government is apparently also planning a parade in the Mediterranean, in the port of the Syrian city of Tartus.
In St. Petersburg, 40 warships, including submarines, are said to be part of the parade.
Update from Sunday, July 31, 9 a.m.: The headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was apparently hit in a drone attack. As the governor of the city of Sevastopol, Mikhail Rasvoschajew, announced on Twitter, five employees of the headquarters were injured in the attack. “Early this morning, Ukrainian nationalists decided to spoil our Navy Day,” Rasvozhayev stressed. The “Day of the Navy” celebrations are taking place this Sunday, primarily in St. Petersburg. The achievements of the military are to be honored, similar to May 9, the “Day of Victory” over Nazi Germany.
First report from Friday, July 29, 6:00 p.m.: Moscow – Two nuclear-capable submarines of the Russian Navy were transported to St. Petersburg for the traditional “Navy Day” in Russia on the last Sunday in July. This is reported by the German-language news platform Marineforum.online . The two boats “Severodvinsk” and “Vepr”, which belonged to the Russian Northern Fleet, appeared not far from Bergen in mid-July and were then escorted by units of the NATO navies across the North and Baltic Seas. Current photos show both ships during the test runs for the parade off the Russian coast.
On Sunday (July 31), the nuclear submarines are to be presented among dozens of other warships in St. Petersburg. Experts assume that the Russian armed forces under the ruler Vladimir Putin will once again demonstrate the “power of attack” of the Russian Navy. Against the background of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the transport trip of the nuclear submarines is considered a particular provocation.
Relocation of Russian nuclear submarines to military parade: Denmark fears provocation
Countries bordering on the North and Baltic Seas, which the Severodvinsk, which was put into service in 2013, and the 18-year-old Vepr, passed on their way to St. Petersburg, feared a provocation. For example, the news portal of the Schleswig-Holstein newspaper publisher shz.de reported on fears on the part of Denmark that the maneuvers on “Navy Day” could lead to violations of Danish sovereign waters.
The background to the concern was that a Russian warship had violated the country’s sovereign waters off the Danish Baltic Sea island of Bornholm in June, as reported by the Lower Saxony district newspaper . The incident took place during a routine exercise, but it took place at the same time as the large-scale annual NATO exercise “Baltops”. The two nuclear submarines made their way to St. Petersburg without reports of further incidents.
Military parade on “Navy Day” in Russia: Ministry announces 47 ships
After entering the Skagerrak Strait, the two submarines were accompanied by the anti-submarine warfare frigate HMS Portland, specialized naval helicopters and a Royal Air Force maritime patrol aircraft, as reported by Marineforum.online .
Navy Day is a national holiday in Russia and the second most important military holiday in Russia after Victory Day on May 9th. According to the Russian news agency TASS, the Russian Defense Ministry is planning 47 ships for the parade in 2022. (ska)
