Putin: 95% of Russia’s nuclear forces have been modernized

Russian President Vladimir Putin says that 95 percent of Russia’s strategic nuclear forces have been modernized and that the Air Force has just taken delivery of four new supersonic nuclear-capable bombers.

Putin’s comments are made in a recorded speech to mark Russia’s annual Defender of the Fatherland Day, which celebrates the armed forces, a day after he flew on a modernized Tu-160M nuclear-capable strategic bomber.

He devotes much of his speech to what he says are the achievements of the military-industrial complex.

“Incorporating our real combat experience, we will continue to strengthen the Armed Forces in every possible way, including ongoing re-equipping and modernization efforts,” Putin says.

“Today, the share of modern weapons and equipment in the strategic nuclear forces has already reached 95%, while the naval component of the ‘nuclear triad’ is at almost 100%,” he adds.

Putin says that Russia has started serial production of its new Zircon hypersonic missiles and that new strike systems, which he does not specify, are being tested.

New strategic submarines have been added to the navy, and four Tu-160M nuclear-capable bomber planes, the same type he flew in yesterday, have just been delivered to the armed forces.

“Next in line is the development and serial production of promising models, the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies in the military sphere,” he says.