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Putin: Russia to boost nuclear arsenal with 40 missiles | Putin: Russia to boost nuclear arsenal with 40 missiles |
(35 minutes later) | |
President Vladimir Putin has said Russia will put more than 40 new, inter-continental ballistic missiles into service this year. | |
It is part of a wide-reaching programme to modernise the country's military. | |
Speaking at an arms fair, Mr Putin said the weapons would be able to overcome even the most technically advanced anti-missile defence systems. | Speaking at an arms fair, Mr Putin said the weapons would be able to overcome even the most technically advanced anti-missile defence systems. |
It comes after the US proposed increasing its military presence in Nato states in Eastern Europe. | It comes after the US proposed increasing its military presence in Nato states in Eastern Europe. |
Tensions are high over Russia's role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. | Tensions are high over Russia's role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine. |
Nato and Western leaders accuse Russia of sending soldiers and heavy weapons, including tanks and missiles, to the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly denied this, insisting that any Russians fighting there are "volunteers". | Nato and Western leaders accuse Russia of sending soldiers and heavy weapons, including tanks and missiles, to the pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly denied this, insisting that any Russians fighting there are "volunteers". |
Russia nuclear arsenal | |
All numbers are approximate estimates | |
Source: Federation of American Scientists | |
'Arms race' | 'Arms race' |
Russia has increased its defence spending substantially under Vladimir Putin, and is in the midst of a massive modernisation programme, says the BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Moscow. | |
The missiles are high-tech replacements, not additions to Russia's nuclear arsenal, but the nod to the US is clear, our correspondent says. | |
Russian officials have warned that Moscow will respond if the US carries out its plan to store heavy military equipment in Eastern Europe, including in the Baltic states that were once part of the Soviet Union. | Russian officials have warned that Moscow will respond if the US carries out its plan to store heavy military equipment in Eastern Europe, including in the Baltic states that were once part of the Soviet Union. |
"The feeling is that our colleagues from Nato countries are pushing us into an arms race," RIA news agency quoted Russian Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov as saying on the sidelines of the arms fair outside Moscow. | "The feeling is that our colleagues from Nato countries are pushing us into an arms race," RIA news agency quoted Russian Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov as saying on the sidelines of the arms fair outside Moscow. |
Analysis - Jonathan Marcus, BBC News defence and diplomatic correspondent | Analysis - Jonathan Marcus, BBC News defence and diplomatic correspondent |
Amidst the rising tensions with the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed a renewed emphasis upon his country's nuclear arsenal. | Amidst the rising tensions with the West, Russian President Vladimir Putin has placed a renewed emphasis upon his country's nuclear arsenal. |
This is in part a reflection of Russia's continuing conventional military weakness. Moscow is in the midst of a significant modernisation of its strategic nuclear weapons with new ballistic missiles being deployed, more modern bombers, and new submarines being launched. | This is in part a reflection of Russia's continuing conventional military weakness. Moscow is in the midst of a significant modernisation of its strategic nuclear weapons with new ballistic missiles being deployed, more modern bombers, and new submarines being launched. |
Over recent years, older, obsolete weapons have been withdrawn from service, so the size of Russia's overall arsenal has been shrinking. | Over recent years, older, obsolete weapons have been withdrawn from service, so the size of Russia's overall arsenal has been shrinking. |
However, this decline could soon come to an end, raising all sorts of questions for other nuclear powers. | However, this decline could soon come to an end, raising all sorts of questions for other nuclear powers. |
What most alarms the West is the renewed emphasis in Russian rhetoric on nuclear rather than conventional forces. | What most alarms the West is the renewed emphasis in Russian rhetoric on nuclear rather than conventional forces. |
Threats to deploy short-range nuclear weapons in Crimea have been accompanied by veiled warnings of nuclear targeting against Nato members who might host ballistic missile defences. | Threats to deploy short-range nuclear weapons in Crimea have been accompanied by veiled warnings of nuclear targeting against Nato members who might host ballistic missile defences. |