Russia has put its submarine-launched Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile into service, a significant step in modernizing its nuclear arsenal, in what could be used to escalate the war in Ukraine if President Vladimir Putin wishes.
According to state media on Tuesday, the deployment of Bulava was made official in a decree dated May 7. It coincides with the start of Putin’s new six-year term in charge of Russia, after he “won” the election with 88.48% of the vote in March.
The missile’s chief designer, Yuri Solomonov, revealed the details to the TASS news agency in a big day for the Russian military and naval forces. The Bulava, developed since the 1990s, is designed to be deployed on the Borei-class submarines, meaning it can strike from anywhere in the world.
Putin has warned the West since the start of the war in Ukraine that a direct intervention by NATO troops could trigger a nuclear conflict, and in March, he claimed that while he did not believe the US was “rushing” toward a confrontation, Russia’s nuclear forces were technically prepared.
In November 2023, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that one of the Borei submarines had successfully tested the Bulava, launching it from an underwater position in the White Sea and hitting a target thousands of miles away on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East.
Ukrainian forces retreat from Kharkiv
Following the successful test and the news that Ukrainian forces are falling back in Kharkiv, Russian-held territory, Putin can be very happy at how things have played out since he was inaugurated on May 7.
Volodymyr Zelensky’s men had come under heavy fire before moving to a “more advantageous” position according to a spokesman for the military, which generally means they have issued a retreat.
Zelensky has also cancelled all international events in order to make sure that he can focus on defending his nation properly after the latest setback as thousands of civilians flee.