Russia’s Submarine Plans Are Bad News for the West

Moscow can challenge foreign navies under the waves.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stands at a podium in front of a submarine. August 6, 2025, 2:59 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

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In recent days, many a tear has been shed for the Admiral Kuznetsov , Russia’s only aircraft carrier. After a long and unlucky life, the ship has endured a retrofit so ill-fated that it’s now about to be scrapped. But don’t feel too smug about Russia’s soon-to-be carrier-less navy because it’s expanding its already fearsome submarine fleet instead.

Lately, even news outlets that rarely report on military equipment have run big headlines about the Admiral

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