Johnson tells Macron to 'get a grip' over Aukus submarine deal
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The AUKUS nuclear deal is the security pact that will see nuclear submarines stationed in the Pacific. But Russian officials have warned that this is not just a threat to China, but to Russia too. Secretary of Russia’s Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, called the pact a “prototype of an Asian NATO” – appearing to threaten retaliation.
He added: ”Washington will try to involve other countries in this organisation, chiefly in order to pursue anti-China and anti-Russia policies.”
He also called it a threat to “the entire security architecture in Asia”.
Russian diplomats have slammed the deal on the basis that it undermines the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NTP), which they claim will speed up an arms race in the region.
The NTP is an international treaty with the aim of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, and eventually to reach the stage of nuclear disarmament.
And now, experts believe Mr Putin could see the AUKUS deal as an opportunity to market his own nuclear submarines.
Russia has in the past been secretive about its nuclear submarine technology, which is considered to be one of the world’s most advanced and far superior to China’s.
So far, Moscow has only bargained with India to allow its navy to operate Russian-made nuclear-powered attack submarines since 1987.
But this agreement does not involve any kind of technology transfer to India.
Moscow has now hinted that it could be the right time to put its nuclear-powered submarines on the market, with military experts suggesting Vietnam and Algeria are potential buyers.
One expert said: “Literally before our eyes, a new market for nuclear-powered submarines is being created. Now we can safely offer a number of our strategic partners.”
Given that Russia and China are having the pressure put on them by the international community, it is possible that the two powers could form a loose maritime coalition mirror that military alliance within the AUKUS pact.
Moscow and Beijing have in recent years engaged in increasing military cooperation, including Chinese participation in annual large-scale Russian military exercises, joint bomber patrols over the Sea of Japan, and joint naval exercises (including in the Indian Ocean).
Now that the AUKUS pact has been made to put pressure on the two military powers, if Russia and China were to coordinate their naval activities too it could pose a serious threat to AUKUS.
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More bad news for AUKUS is that over the next 12 months, the Russian Pacific Fleet is due to see three new nuclear-powered submarines, two of which are being built by the Chinese.
Should Russia really start to feel threatened by AUKUS, it is possible they could start to increase their fleet and expand their operations in the South China Sea.
China has already been slammed by the international community expanding its influence in the South China Sea, and AUKUS is aimed at putting controls on that.
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