“Allegations that all our technology is outdated do not hold water. The performance of our technology is not inferior to that in any other industrialized country”, he said at a press conference on January 31.

It is not clear how the submarines can get Bulava missiles as they are scheduled for testing only in 2006. Yury Dolgoruky was also expected to enter service in 2006. Dmitry Donskoy is under repairs since 1989 and was expected to return to the base last year, but due to the lack of Bulava missiles is still at the shipyard.