Russia Displays Nuclear Muscle in Naval Exercise

Russia continued an Atlantic Ocean military exercise this week that featured strategic bombers and a nuclear-capable cruise missile test, the London Times reported (see GSN, Jan. 22).

The activity involved two “Blackjack” bombers flying near a Russian naval flotilla near the Bay of Biscay, and was set to include “Bear” and “Backfire” strategic bombers, according to the Times.

The exercise includes 11 Russian naval vessels led by the nation’s only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov.  One battleship in the group launched a Bazalt nuclear-capable supersonic cruise missile, the Times reported.

Experts cautioned against reading too much in to the display of power.  The Russian fleet is capable of launching only 30 of its 300 ships at any time, said analyst Pavel Felgengauer.

“They have put them all together and sent them to the Atlantic. This is just an attempt to show the flag before the presidential elections and to tell people at home that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s eight years have restored Russia’s imperial greatness,” he said.  “The Admiral Kuznetsov is due to go in for repairs when it returns home. There are two tugs with it now because everybody understands that it could go bust at any moment” (Tony Halpin, London Times, Jan. 22).

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