While the Kremlin military has been engaged in a high-intensity conflict on the Ukrainian front for nearly a year, Vladimir Putin and his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday revealed Russia’s military targets for 2023.
Between the arrival of a new model of hypersonic missile and the reinforcement of military personnel, these announcements allow to better define the Kremlin’s ambitions on the Ukrainian battlefield. And to make a clear point: in 2023, Vladimir Putin and his staff intend to continue hostilities and strengthen his presence in already conquered territories.
• Hypersonic missiles and nuclear triad
The most significant announcement: that of the entry into force of a new model of hypersonic missile. Vladimir Putin said that “in early January” new models called Zircom would enter service on board the frigate. Admiral Gorchklov.
The master of the Kremlin assured that they had “no equivalent in the world.” With a range of 1,000 kilometers, these missiles belong to a new family of weapons developed in recent years by Russia.
At the same time, Vladimir Putin announced to the audience of senior officers assembled for the occasion his desire to continue to develop Russia’s military potential, including the “combat readiness” of nuclear forces.
“We will continue to maintain and improve the combat readiness of our nuclear triad,” Vladimir Putin promised.
• Naval bases in Ukraine
Ukraine will remain one of the Russian military’s priorities in 2023, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said, “until all its tasks have been fulfilled.” Proof of this is that Moscow will develop military bases in two Ukrainian cities captured since the start of the offensive in February: Berdiansk and Mariupol.
“The ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol are fully operational. We plan to deploy bases there for support ships, emergency rescue services and navy ship repair units,” Sergei Shoigu promised.
For Vladimir Putin’s minister, the “special operation” carried out by the Russians in Ukraine goes far beyond the simple conflict between Kyiv and Moscow. “In Ukraine, the Russian army opposes the combined forces of the West,” he said, especially since the West provides financial and material assistance to Ukraine.
“The growing presence of the West on our and Belarusian borders, and the willingness of the West to prolong military operations in Ukraine to the maximum in order to weaken our country, are of particular concern,” he said, continuing.
For his part, Vladimir Putin assured that the war in Ukraine constituted a “common tragedy”, but that Moscow did not assume responsibility for it, which fell on “third countries”.
• 1.5 million Russian soldiers in 2023
While many intercepted telephone exchanges between Russian soldiers and their relatives since the start of the conflict have denounced the lack of preparation of some 300,000 men mobilized by Vladimir Putin in September to go fight in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin accepted on Wednesday the proposal of his minister of Defending. , with the aim of swelling the ranks of the army.
“To ensure the fulfillment of the tasks to ensure the military security of Russia, it is necessary to increase the strength of the armed forces to 1.5 million servicemen, including 695,000 under contract,” said Sergei Shoigu.
Vladimir Putin immediately indicated that he “agrees” with this proposal. A presidential decree dating from August already provided for increasing the number of combat troops to 1.15 million as of January 1. Currently, 150,000 mobilized men are in training at military bases.
• No financing problem
In front of his officers, military leader Putin wanted to reassure his troops, making financial promises. On rare occasions, voices were raised in Russia in the fall, when Moscow suffered major military setbacks in the face of a successful Ukrainian counteroffensive.
This Wednesday, Vladimir Putin assured the officials that the Western sanctions, which weigh on the Russian economy, would not prevent the modernization of its weapons, called to fully enter the 21st century.
“We have no funding limitations. The country and the government give everything the army asks for. Truly everything! ”, Indicated the master of the Kremlin.
Source: BFM TV
