Russian President Vladimir Putin has endorsed a comprehensive naval strategy, "The Strategy for the Development of the Russian Navy up to 2050," marking modern Russia’s first long-term naval development plan.
Kremlin aide Nikolai Patrushev, a former KGB officer and chair of the Russian Maritime Board, announced the approval in an interview with Argumenty i Fakty published on Monday.
The strategy, signed by Putin on May 30, seeks to restore Russia’s status as a leading maritime power, a position Patrushev claims is "gradually recovering."
The strategy outlines Russia’s response to evolving global military and political dynamics, incorporating lessons from the Ukraine conflict, where the Black Sea Fleet has faced significant losses due to Ukrainian missile and drone strikes.
Patrushev said:
It is impossible to carry out such work without a long-term vision of the scenarios for the development of the situation in the oceans, the evolution of challenges and threats, and, of course, without defining the goals and objectives facing the Russian Navy.
Nikolai Patrushev.
The document, developed by the Defense Ministry and refined by the Maritime Board, assesses potential conflict scenarios and the capabilities of leading naval powers.
While the full text of the strategy remains undisclosed, it aligns with Russia’s increased defense spending, now at Cold War levels as a percentage of GDP.
The plan follows the 2022 Naval Doctrine, which identified the U.S. and NATO as primary threats and prioritized the Arctic and Pacific fleets.
Putin announced in April that 8.4 trillion rubles ($106.3 billion) will fund new naval ships over the next decade.
With 79 submarines and 222 warships, including 14 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, Russia’s navy ranks third globally behind China and the U.S., though it has faced setbacks in Ukraine.