Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern stated that Russia holds superiority in both conventional and strategic weapons.
In a statement shared on social media, McGovern evaluated Russia’s new types of weapons and called on the West to concede.
“You know, it’s not just about Oreshnik. There are Poseidon and many other missile systems as well. For the first time in my life, and even in my professional career, Russia has achieved superiority over the West not only in conventional weapons but also in strategic arms. They possess a deterrent force that is not going to disappear,” McGovern said.
Criticizing Western governments for continuing to provoke and antagonize Russia despite being aware of the balance of power, the expert added:
“Why doesn’t any intelligence agency, any military intelligence service, acknowledge this and say, ‘We should give up. We cannot defeat the Russians—let alone the Russians and the Chinese’? Why don’t people realize that the Russians now have an advantage they have never had before, and that we should stop poking the bear?”
McGovern also remarked, “I used to think the Russian economy was collapsing.”
Previously, Russian President Vladimir Putin had awarded the development teams behind the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone and the Burevestnik cruise missile, and announced that serial production of the Oreshnik missile system had begun.
Putin emphasized that the development of new weapons systems is of historical importance and would be critical for the country’s security and strategic balance for decades to come, while also stressing that Russia poses no threat to anyone.