MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. The Russian Navy ensures the protection of the country’s national interests in the World Ocean, Russian Presidential Aide and Chairman of the Maritime Board Nikolay Patrushev said at the opening of an exhibition dedicated to the 340th anniversary of the reunification of the Kievan Metropolis with the Russian Orthodox Church and the 330th anniversary of the Russian Navy.

"Today, the Navy proudly flies the St. Andrew’s Flag, ensuring the security of Russia’s maritime activities and the protection of national interests in the World Ocean," Patrushev noted.

The continued development of the Russian Navy is aimed at advancing cutting-edge technologies, creating maritime drones, and maintaining strategic balance, Patrushev added.

"The main direction for the fleet’s further development, as defined by the President of the Russian Federation, is focused on the development and implementation of cutting-edge technological solutions, the creation of unmanned systems and robotic vehicles, as well as the maintenance of a global strategic balance," Patrushev noted.

According to him, addressing these tasks will make it possible to create a new image of the fleet, including the strategic nuclear naval forces, capable of responding to modern challenges and threats.