MOSCOW, March 28. /TASS/. Russia has been a powerful seafaring nation for centuries, and will do its best to maintain the status, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with the crew of the Arkhangelsk submarine.
"The role of the Navy in general is well-known. For centuries, Russia has been a powerful seafaring nation. And we will do our best to maintain this status," the president said.
"We will build new surface ships and submarines, and improve their performance. They need to correspond to present-day standards and to be, of course, combat-ready and effective in the near term," he said. "This is a weapon, and it should serve our country for decades, forming the backbone of our strategic security.".