Patrushev: There is no defeat of the Black Sea Fleet, and Trump needs to take care

Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Russian Maritime Collegium Nikolai Patrushev, in an interview with the Kommersant newspaper, assessed the current security situation in the Black and Baltic Seas, spoke about the prospects of the Northern Sea Route and outlined plans for the development of shipbuilding in Russia.

— Let me ask you about your assessment of the presidential elections held in the United States before going directly to the "maritime" topic. Does the upcoming change of power in the United States bring positive changes from the point of view of Russia?

— To achieve electoral success, Donald Trump relied on certain forces to which he has corresponding obligations. And as a responsible person, he will be obliged to fulfill them.

During the pre-election period, he made many statements to attract voters to his side, who eventually voted against the destructive foreign and domestic policy pursued by the current administration of the US president. But the election campaign is over, and in January 2025 it will be time for the specific affairs of the elected president. It is well known that often election promises in the United States may differ from subsequent actions.

— At the same time, some experts in the United States suggest that Donald Trump may be strongly influenced and pressured to ensure that his actions do not diverge from the plans of the American elites, primarily the so-called deep state. Well, as it was in his first term. His election clearly annoys some representatives of government and business structures, and many doubt his safety at all.

— You have raised a topical issue. We are aware of two cases of an attempt on his life during the election campaign. In general, throughout the history of the United States, the lives of presidents and candidates have been regularly attempted — more than 20 times. During his tenure, four US presidents died at the hands of assassins. Therefore, it is extremely important for US intelligence agencies to prevent the recurrence of such cases.

— On the seas. Western experts and Recently, the media have increasingly claimed that the armed forces of Ukraine, including Western weapons, have almost defeated the Black Sea Fleet. Does this correspond to reality?

— I have just visited the Black Sea Fleet, got acquainted with the course of combat duty of the troops and forces of the fleet and was convinced of its combat capability, readiness to withstand challenges and threats from sea directions.

There is no defeat of our fleet on the Black Sea. And this is despite the fact that Kiev's aggressive actions in this region are coordinated by NATO specialists.

Westerners should firmly understand that Russia stands firmly on the Black Sea, and we will not allow our positions in this region to be weakened. Moreover, we will not tolerate the permanent naval presence of non-Black Sea States in violation of the Montreux Convention.

Russia firmly maintains its status as one of the world's leading naval powers, and our fleet confidently fulfills all its tasks, starting with the most important one - nuclear deterrence. Not so long ago, the nuclear-powered submarine cruisers Emperor Alexander III and Krasnoyarsk made an ice transition from the operational zone of the Northern Fleet to the home areas of the Pacific Fleet, the length of the route exceeded 4 thousand nautical miles. Such operations are of particular importance in the context of the revision of the domestic nuclear doctrine. Our opponents should know that Russia's naval nuclear shield is always on guard of our country. Other components, forces and means of our fleet are also developing.

— And how do you assess the situation in the Baltic? Some officials of NATO member countries say that now it is essentially the "inner lake" of the North Atlantic Alliance. Most recently, a multinational naval tactical headquarters of NATO was opened in Rostock, Germany...

— The Americans and their European allies have set a course for the militarization of the Baltic Sea. By the way, this is a traditional strategy for the West. Even during the Crimean War, the British and the French sought to seize Kronstadt, and in both world wars the Germans tried to gain a foothold on the Russian coast of the Baltic. Our Baltic sailors have always crushed the plans of the aggressors.

Currently, ensuring security in the Baltic is the most important military and political task. Since the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO, as well as against the background of the undermining of the Nord Streams, Russia has been taking additional measures to protect its territorial integrity and economic sovereignty.

— As far as I remember, you were one of the first to question the "Ukrainian trace" of the undermining of pipelines. By Western officials and in There is a lot of conflicting information in the media about this story. Have you changed your mind about the fact that Ukraine is not behind this?

— In the case of the terrorist act on the Nord Streams, interesting details do come up. Even the Danish maritime authorities do not hide the fact that American ships were in the area of explosions the day before. At the same time, anyone interested in the capabilities of the naval forces of foreign countries knows that the Ukrainian Navy has neither the equipment nor trained specialists to commit a deep-sea terrorist attack. Only special forces units of NATO countries could carry out sabotage of this scale. It is known for certain that such combat swimmers and the corresponding equipment are available from the American and British special services.

Therefore, the calls of Chancellor Scholz to conduct an allegedly unbiased investigation, accusing some Ukrainians of sabotage, sound ridiculous.

The United States deliberately deprives Germany of Russian energy resources that are so necessary for its development, and the current leadership of Germany is playing along with those who are actually destroying the German economy.

According to available information, the Americans and the British consider sabotage on the Nord Streams as one of many methods of promoting their economic interests. New infrastructure facilities, including marine fiber-optic cables that provide worldwide communications, may fall under their attack.

— And what is the plan behind all this, in your opinion?

— It can be described in one word — chaos. Since the hegemony of the West has been shaken, Washington has decided to chaoticize the energy market, including by destabilizing shipping. In addition, with the connivance of the Americans, another aggravation of the situation in the Middle East and other strategically important areas is brewing. The presence of the US Navy in the Persian Gulf region and their so-called actions to ensure the safety of navigation, including strikes against the Houthis, are just a screen behind which plans to escalate tensions in the region are hidden. Including in order to put pressure on China and India, which are deeply interested in energy supplies. And at the same time create conditions for the redistribution of the energy market.

Only Americans forget history. The tanker war was already in The Persian Gulf in the 1980s. Then the global insurance industry almost collapsed, the global energy crisis began. To prevent it, the Reagan administration had to spend huge amounts of money.

It is difficult to say whether the current America, burdened with astronomical public debt, will cope with the new crisis.

At one time, England proclaimed itself the mistress of the seas, but over time it turned out that she took on an exorbitant burden. She simply overestimated her strength, and as a result, she went bankrupt and lost her naval power, which largely contributed to the collapse of the British Empire. Look at what the once powerful English fleet is now. On the ships of the British Navy, the shortage of personnel reaches a third. It is not prestigious to serve there. Signs of the decline of naval power are now being observed in the United States. On paper, their fleet is huge, but in fact — low morale of sailors, chronic shortage of personnel, lack of repair facilities and workers at shipbuilding enterprises.

— If all this were so problematic, then the Western media would probably write about it, but this is not particularly observed.

— In the Western world, it is customary to notice a speck in someone else's eye, but not to see a log in your own. Meanwhile, the US Naval Institute was severely criticized by the White House, which recognized the failure of the American LCS-class coastal warships program due to their unsuccessful design. That is, even American specialists are not allowed to doubt the quality of products manufactured in the USA.

— What makes you think so?

— Yes, at least well-known examples of the mysterious death of employees of Boeing Corporation, who announced the existing technological problems of manufactured aerospace vehicles.

— And what can Russia oppose to its opponents at sea?

— We must raise our role in the World Ocean, increase our own capabilities, while strengthening cooperation with friendly countries.

The BRICS countries have a huge potential in the maritime sphere. Even for Ethiopia, the only one of the BRICS countries without access to the sea, maritime trade is of undoubted interest.

In fact, the geography of the location of the BRICS states tells us that we cannot do without joint work in the oceans. We are talking about maintaining stability and security in maritime communications, concentrating joint efforts in the field of shipbuilding, port infrastructure development, training of naval personnel, and the introduction of new technologies.

— Within the framework of BRICS events in In Kazan, President Vladimir Putin paid special attention to the topic of the Northern Sea Route, the construction and operation of icebreakers. Not so long ago, you discussed the development of the NSR at a meeting in Murmansk. In what direction is it planned to develop civil shipping in The Arctic?

— The Northern Sea Route has a huge perspective. This route should become a year-round national maritime transport route. It is necessary to develop the Great Northern Sea Route from Murmansk to Vladivostok, to link it with the existing transport infrastructure, inland waterways, the development of railways, the creation of new deep-water ports. To implement the BSMP project, it is important to develop Arctic shipbuilding.

Last week, the fourth serial universal nuclear icebreaker Chukotka was launched. The existing and continuing icebreaking fleet has no analogues in the world.

Russia holds the world leadership in the construction of nuclear-powered vessels and remains the only country in the world with a nuclear icebreaker fleet.

Despite the existing difficulties, it is necessary to increase the capabilities of our icebreaker fleet, to do this through the use of Russian developments and production facilities, using domestic equipment and components.

— In conclusion, I would like to ask in general about the prospects of shipbuilding in the Russia. Do you already have an understanding of how to increase its effectiveness?

— These issues are constantly discussed within the framework of the Maritime Collegium. We will create new production facilities, increase labor productivity, and ensure sufficient utilization of existing industry enterprises.

This whole process is of a large-scale and strategic nature. When creating shipbuilding enterprises and providing them with orders, it is important to proceed from the balance of interests of customers and executors, to take into account state expediency and efficiency.

At the same time, I do not exclude the relevance of already successfully proven methods of organizing scientific and production chains. In particular, such as production associations that allow research organizations, design bureaus, component manufacturing plants, engines, shipbuilding and ship repair plants to work together for a common result.

In shipbuilding, it is necessary to create an integral system of regulatory legal regulation to solve the problems facing the industry. To increase the efficiency of the industry's development, a federal law "On shipbuilding" is needed.

We believe that it is necessary to focus on the training of personnel of all specialties involved in shipbuilding — highly qualified workers, engineers, designers.

This year, the number of applicants in higher education institutions specializing in shipbuilding has already increased significantly. The plans include the organization of retraining of specialists in sought—after specialties. Creative and financial efforts should be directed to the introduction of new approaches to attracting young people to the industry.

It is possible to think about the introduction of a grant system for innovators, inventors, young scientists who can offer a real introduction of robotics in shipbuilding. We need a fleet that ensures the realization of Russia's national interests.