SEVERODVINSK /Arkhangelsk Region/, March 12. /TASS/. Shipbuilders are planning to hand over seven new warships, including four submarines, and seven repaired vessels to the Russian Navy in 2019, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.
"In 2019, the shipbuilding program of enterprises integrated into the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) stipulates the construction of seven combat ships, including three nuclear-powered submarines and one diesel-electric sub, and the completion of the repairs of seven warships and vessels," the defense chief said at a meeting with shipbuilders in Severodvinsk.
"The completion of the construction and the delivery of the nuclear-powered underwater cruisers Knyaz Vladimir and Kazan to the Navy are top-priority tasks for the United Shipbuilding Corporation, Sevmash and some design organizations. On the instruction of the supreme commander-in-chief, the entire amount of work has to be completed this year," Shoigu said.
As the defense minister stressed, "these ships will define the future outlook of our underwater fleet and will help raise Russia’s defense potential and strengthen its positions in the World Ocean."
"Today we will discuss the issues related to the delivery of these submarines and the repair of the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov and preparations for building blue-water ships," he said.