The Scythian Project and Its Implications
Russia may be moving forward with the Scythian project, a plan to station ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads on the seabed inside specialized containers. This information emerged from an investigation by journalists from Tagesschau (ARD), WDR, and NDR, who examined satellite imagery, databases, and official documents. The project's key vessel is the 'Zvezdochka,' which operates out of the port of Severodvinsk on the White Sea. The Scythian missile is a modified version of the Sineva missile, with a range of several thousand kilometers. Initial tests occurred several years ago, and the missile has been part of Kremlin planning since the early 1990s. This development reflects ongoing efforts to modernize Russia's strategic deterrent capabilities.
The 'Zvezdochka' ship, measuring 96 meters in length and 18 meters in width, plays a crucial role in executing the project. In 1980, the Pentagon studied a similar concept under the Orca project, while technical patents in Russia were registered in the late 1990s. In March 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled six new weapon systems, which likely included the Scythian missiles. It is known that in 2017, Viktor Bondarev stated that Scythian missiles are part of the arsenal of the Russian Armed Forces.
Legal and Political Dimensions
Importantly, deploying such missiles does not violate international law, provided it occurs within Russia's territorial waters. Helge Adrians noted that neutralizing these missiles would be extremely challenging, and this approach allows Russia to bypass the need for submarines and their crews. According to him, Russia can achieve the same nuclear deterrence effect with minimal effort and cost that currently requires manned submarines. This strategy could reshape how nations think about undersea warfare and arms control.
Mattias Uhl emphasized that the significance of these missiles lies less in actual combat and more in political discourse. He believes that abroad, this weapon is intended to ensure deterrence and sow uncertainty. Viktor Bondarev also confirmed that Scythian missiles are part of the Russian armed forces' arsenal. Meanwhile, the Russian embassy in Berlin stated that it has no information on the matter in question.
Thus, the Scythian project could have a major impact on the military situation in the region, as well as on international relations, even though its implementation does not contradict Russia's international obligations. Given technological advances in the military sphere, such initiatives could lead to a new phase in the arms race, particularly in the context of nuclear deterrence. This may also raise concerns among neighboring countries and the international community at large, as an increase in Russia's military power could shift the balance of power in the region.