OREANDA-NEWS  Russia has a powerful submarine fleet and invests in its improvement. This was stated by the commander of the U.S. Navy in Europe and Africa Admiral James Foggo, who also heads the joint command of NATO forces in Naples (Italy), in an interview with CNN, published on Thursday.

"The Russians continue to invest in the development and production of very effective submarines. They are the most skilled of our opponents," - stated Fogg. As noted in the material, he also stressed that the Russian submarines of the new generation are extremely effective and pose a great danger.

Speaking about the submarines of the Varshavyanka project, the Admiral stressed: "they are armed with the Caliber cruise missiles, which are very effective combat systems. And from the places where the Russians use them, they can hit any European capital." "Will they do that? I don't think so, but nevertheless we need to be aware of where they are at any given time," he added.

Admiral made a statement that Russia has expanded the presence of its submarines in the North Atlantic ocean, as well as in the Arctic ocean. "They let us know that they are there," the channel quotes Fogg. "There are many more of them and they operate in places where they have not acted before," he added.

As stated in the material, according to Fogg, Russia has more than 40 submarines, and more than 20 of them are part of the Northern fleet and are able to operate in the North Atlantic ocean, as well as in the Arctic.

The channel notes that Fogg has made an appeal to NATO member States to invest in the development of means to counter Russia and, in particular, the detection of submarines. "We must continue to challenge them wherever they are and know where they are," said the Admiral. "We can no longer accept as a given the opportunity to walk unassembled in all the oceans," he added.