A Russia without nuclear submarines?

Western politicians warn about a new arms race with Russia and note that the country has started the floating of a fourth generation of nuclear powered submarines. In reality, though, the Russian Navy remains cash-strapped and in serious need for modernization. A Russian defence analyst believes the country already in the nearest future is in danger of losing its submarine power.

Over the last 15 years, the Russian Navy has only got 10-12 percent of its promised and required state allocations, journalist Vladimir Gundarov writes in the Nezavisimaya Gazeta. The result is a dilapidated state of the fleet and hardly any new vessels.

In the Soviet period a total of 250 nuclear submarines were built from the late 1950s. About 150 of the vessels were stationed in the Northern Fleet.

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