[tlb]

"Modernize" is a polite word for it. Essentially they will be building from scratch. The USSR legacy strategic weapons systems are already past or near the limits of their design life. Just two years ago Putin in an admirals uniform was aboard a submarine to witness a launch as part of an exercise. Two consecutive missiles failed.

Living next door to China I wouldn't disarm either.

[familyop]

"Living next door to China I wouldn't disarm either."

IMO, China would rather continue to creep into dominating more new Pacific Ocean routes and southern countries. And the only thing stopping China from providing warm sea ports to Russia now is our carrier fleets that could stop them.