Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the role of the Navy in protecting Russia's national interests while delivering a speech at the naval parade in St. Petersburg on July 28.
"We will continue to strengthen surface and submarine forces, naval aviation, [and] equip ships with high-tech new-generation systems and hypersonic missile systems," Putin stated.
Russian frigates, corvettes, and nuclear submarines have recently undergone modernization, with some of them armed with cutting-edge nuclear-capable Zircon hypersonic missiles. Flying at a speed of up to Mach 9, the missile can't be stopped by air defenses. The first Navy warship to fire a Zircon was the frigate Admiral Gorshkov in January 2020.
In 2021, The National Interest named the five most powerful Russian warships, including the Kirov-class battlecruiser Petr Velikiy, the Borei-A class submarine Knyaz Vladimir, the Yasen-M submarine Kazan, the Slava-class missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov, and the Gremyashchiy-class corvette Gremyashchiy.
The Gremyashchiy-class corvettes have been modernized to carry hypersonic Zircons, as per the Russian press. The lead ship of the series, the Gremyashchiy, is currently serving in the Pacific Fleet. Earlier this week, the Pacific Fleet received the advanced Evpatiy Kolovrat icebreaker, which will be used to ensure the Navy's operations in the Arctic region.
Russian Navy Day's History
The holiday traces back to October 30, 1696, when the Boyar Duma, fulfilling the will of Russian Tsar Peter the Great, decreed: "There shall be sea vessels."
On July 27, 1714, the Russian Navy defeated the Swedes at Gangut during the Great Northern War (1700-1721), which became the first great victory of Russia's naval forces and laid the foundation for the nationwide holiday events.
Over the centuries, the Russian Navy has covered itself with glory. Russian naval forces repeatedly defeated its Swedish and Ottoman counterparts, resisted the invasion of Turkish, French, and British fleets in the Crimean War, assisted in the USSR's victory over Nazi Germany, and continued to protect Russia's borders and national interests in subsequent decades.
Navy Day as a national holiday was reestablished in 1939, and is now celebrated on the last Sunday of July. Naval parades and military sports festivals are held at the main bases of the Russian Northern, Baltic, and Pacific Fleets, as well as the Caspian Flotilla and at the base of the permanent operational unit of the Russian Navy in the Mediterranean Sea. The main naval parade commemorating Russian Navy Day takes place in St. Petersburg.
Guarding Russia's Interests, Ensuring World Peace
Russian Navy ships currently play an important role in the special military operation. They control the maritime zone of the operation in the Black Sea, containing the enemy and striking distant targets.
Frigates, small missile ships, and submarines of the Black Sea Fleet, armed with Kalibr missiles, have struck over 200 key enemy targets during the special military operation. Naval aviators have carried out over 11,000 combat sorties, destroying more than 400 targets, including 50 aircraft.
The military branch has also proven highly effective and resilient overseas. During the war in Syria, Russia made the decision to create a naval task force in the Mediterranean Sea in March 2013. In 2014, Russian warships took part in the operation to remove chemical weapons from Syria. In 2015, the Russian Navy participated in counter-terror operations against ISIS*, al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front*, and other terrorist groups launched at the request of the Syrian government.
The Russian Navy is one of the world's best in terms of military equipment, skills, experience, and combat training, said Nikolai Patrushev, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, former secretary of the Security Council of Russia, and ex-director of the Federal Security Service (FSB).
"[The Russian Navy] ensures the containment of potential adversaries and the prevention of aggression against our Motherland, and selflessly participates in the special military operation," Patrushev stated, congratulating the military branch on its professional holiday.
The Russian Navy maintains strategic stability and international law and order in the world ocean, the presidential aide emphasized.
*terrorist groups banned in Russia and many other countries.