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Russia Inaugurates New Nuclear Submarines

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent

MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Russia’s president has inaugurated two new nuclear submarines after announcing he would run for re-election in March.

Vladimir Putin presided at a flag-raising ceremony for two new submarines, including the Emperor Alexander III, which last month tested a nuclear-capable Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile.

He also placed his nuclear forces on raised alert and announced the deployment of tactical nuclear missiles in Belarus, his neighbor and ally.

Last month, Putin signed a law revoking Russia’s ratification of the global treaty that bans nuclear testing, although Moscow says it will not carry out a test.

A Russian test in a later stage would be Russia’s first since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union – unless the United States does so.

Some security analysts say nuclear weapons have assumed greater importance in Putin’s thinking and rhetoric.

His conventional forces struggled in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion of the country early last year.

Western countries weaned themselves off Russian energy, weakening their ability to exert pressure by cutting off oil and gas.

Yet the unveiling of new nuclear submarines made sure the West would continue to pay attention to Russia as tensions increasingly escalated into a new Cold War. And with Putin expected to win the presidency for another six-year term, policies were not expected to change.