Expert says Russian navy may get smaller

MOSCOW, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- A former commander of Russia's Northern Fleet says warship decommissioning could cause the Russian navy to shrink significantly by 2015.

Adm. Vyacheslav Popov said the Russian navy would be seriously weakened if more money not allocated to increase the number of new ocean-going warships under construction, RIA Novosti reported Friday.

"If the current situation (with shipbuilding) remains unchanged, we will face a grand-scale removal of ocean-going warships from service with the Russian Navy by 2015 and, as a result, a sharp decrease in its combat capabilities," Popov said in an article dealing with Russia's navy and national security appearing in "Russia's Security-2010" almanac publication.

"The allocated funds are insufficient to carry out large-scale construction of ocean-going ships and simultaneously maintain the existing fleet in combat-ready condition."

The former Northern Fleet commander said no ocean-going warships have been added to the Russian navy in the last 10 years, RIA Novosti reported.