Russian submarine capacity has reached the level of Cold War times, claims the Naval Chief of Russia.

The Russian naval strength has been consistently increasing and that the submarine counts in the navy has reached that level which was during the Cold War, thus claimed the Country’s Naval Chief. On Friday, the Russian Navy started the sea tests on its advanced submarines. This reference to the growing strength of the submarines was made by the Russian Naval Chief at an occasion organised for the same purpose.

The Russian Naval Commander-in-Chief Admiral Vladimir Korolev praised the increasing influence of the Navy saying, that the number of international combat patrolling carried out by the Russian submarines had increased. The previous year the submarines had been patrolling for days together which shows the tremendous increase in its capacity which is closer to the capacity shown at the time of the Cold War.

Reports have been received in the past two years stating the increased movements of the Russian submarines near Europe, United States and the Gulf countries. Also, claims have been made of increase in the activities of the Russian submarines near the marine borders of Europe and US. Indications have been received that Russia has been giving emphasis on the expansion of advanced submarines. In this background, the Naval Chief admitting to the increased activities of the submarines is indeed noteworthy.

The security officials of US and Europe have been expressing fears about the increase in activities of Russia’s submarines. Indications were given last year, by the Vice Admiral of the Sixth Fleet of the US Navy, James Foggo Three in an article written by him in the US Naval Institute magazine, about the increasing influence of the Russian submarines. He had equated the rise in of the submarine activities to the ‘ Fourth Battle Of Atlantic’.

An official from US had said that a new phase of conflicts via submarines would be started soon between Russia and the Western Countries. Military Officials in UK and Europe expressed concern that the increase in Russia’s submarine count may break the logistics provided by US and render useless some of their important machinery.

In the meanwhile, on Friday Russia started tests on the new ‘Yasen-M-Class’ nuclear submarines. Belonging to the class of ‘ Attack Submarine ‘ the submarine has been named ‘Kazaan’ and is considered a state of art technology in possession of the Russian Navy, claims the Russian Naval Chief. Loaded with ‘Onikx’ and ‘Caliber’ supersonic missiles, this submarine is capable of descending 600 meters deep.

As per the information provided by the sources, this submarine will be commissioned in the Navy in 2018 after performing tests of seaworthiness, whereas four submarines of ‘Yasen-M-Class’ are under construction. The target is to include seven such submarines in the Navy by 2023. It is said that the Russian Navy currently has 27 nuclear submarines.