Russia’s defense minister lays out ambitious plans for new nukes purchases

The Russian military will sharply increase the number of new intercontinental ballistic missiles to be deployed this year as part of an ambitious weapons modernization plan, Russia’s defense minister said Wednesday.

He also said that the government would decide in 2009-2010 whether to start the construction of a new shipyard for building aircraft carriers. Russia now only has one Soviet-built medium-sized aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, capable of carrying about 30 jets and helicopters.