Putin unveils two new nuclear submarines

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday promised to reinforce Russia's "military-naval might" as he attended the inauguration of two nuclear submarines in the country's Far North.

The Russian leader took part in a flag-hoisting ceremony in Severodvinsk on the White Sea where the "Krasnoyarsk" and "Emperor Alexander III" were built over the past six years.

"With such ships and such weapons, Russia will feel that it is safe," Putin told navy officers, while visiting one of the submarines in the frozen Arctic waters.

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Putin last week said he was running for re-election in 2024, almost two years after launching the ongoing offensive in Ukraine.

He said the submarines would "strengthen the combat readiness of the Russian navy, our naval power in the Arctic, in the Middle East, in the Black and Baltic Seas, in the Caspian."

In addition to these two vessels, which will join the Pacific fleet, Russia is building eight nuclear submarines.

With the fighting in Ukraine now approaching its second year, Russia has shifted its economy to largely focusing on military production.

Russian lawmakers in October backed a record increase in military spending, which will account for almost a third of all outlays in 2024.

The Kremlin leader vowed to "continue the work to increase Russia's military-naval might."