Russia is to build new space and missile defence shields and put its armed forces on permanent combat alert, President Medvedev announced today.
In a sharp escalation of military rhetoric, Mr Medvedev ordered a wholesale renovation of Russia's nuclear deterrence and told military chiefs to draw up plans to reorganise the armed forces by December. He said that Russia must modernise its nuclear defences within eight years, including the creation of a "system of air and space defence".
The announcement puts Russia in a new arms race with the United States, which has infuriated the Kremlin by seeking to establish an anti-missile shield in eastern Europe. The US argues that the shield is aimed at rogue states such as Iran, but Russia is convinced that its own security is threatened.
Some Race. But the last one worked out well for them so they should give it another go.
Mr Medvedev told military commanders that "all combat formations must be upgraded to the permanent readiness category" by 2020. He added that Russia would begin "mass production of warships, primarily nuclear cruisers carrying cruise missiles and multi-purpose submarines". |