Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu inspected the repair and modernization of the Pacific Fleet's nuclear submarines at a top military shipyard on Friday, his ministry said, as the Kremlin's top propagandist, Vladimir Solovyov, calls for a strike on four NATO countries.
Shoigu earlier this week joined talks between President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Kim Jong Un, who visited two aerospace factories in the city of Komsomolsk on Friday.
Shoigu inspected the construction of a floating docking complex and the way nuclear submarines are repaired and modernized at the Zvezda plant in the city of Bolshoi Kamen, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
He added that Zvezda is the leading submarine repair facility in the Russian Pacific Fleet and the only one in the Far East specialising in the repair and modernisation of nuclear-powered missile submarines.
"Sergei Shoigu demanded maximum use of Zvezda's production facilities in order to complete the repair and modernization of the submarines," the Defense Ministry said.
Soygu also visited the Progress plant in Arsenyev, which produces Ka-52 military helicopters. He stressed the importance of improving the combat capabilities of Ka-52M helicopters and protecting their pilots.
"The combat capabilities of Ka-52M helicopters must be improved and the protection of pilots must be increased," Soygou said, according to the Interfax news agency.
Talk-show host Vladimir Solovyov said Russia should target the US, UK, Poland and Germany for their military support in Ukraine. A video of his comments, overlaid with English subtitles, was shared on X, formerly Twitter, by Ukrainian Interior Ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko.
Solovyov said on air that the four countries would "donate everything they can" to Kiev, including long-range missiles such as ATACMS and Taurus. He added: "Their main goal is to cause maximum damage to Russian Federation".
The governments of Washington, London, Warsaw and Berlin are among the most ardent supporters of Ukraine. Some have already provided long-range strike capabilities to Kiev's army. Britain sent its long-range Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which are believed to have been used to damage a Russian landing craft and a submarine at the Sevastopol naval base in the Black Sea on Wednesday. The missiles are also believed to have been used by Kiev to hit bridges connecting Crimea with other annexed parts of Ukraine and with mainland Russia.
But the U.S. has not committed the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, although reports in recent days suggest Washington is moving toward a decision.
Germany is also washing its hands of the air-launched Taurus missile, which is broadly similar to the British missile and its French counterpart, the SCALP-EG. Berlin's defence minister, Boris Pistorius, hinted earlier this week that a US decision to supply the ATACMS would not automatically trigger a deal on the Taurus missiles.
Military experts say that although ATACMS and Taurus have slightly different capabilities, the main advantage for Ukraine would simply be that it could launch more strikes on Russian-controlled territory.
Solovyov, a long-time ally of Putin, said: "Yes, we can respond by striking Kiev and Odessa. But we must respond by striking Berlin, London, Washington, New York." He added: "We have to hit Poland, the base where all these things arrive, we have to hit the factories that produce them. There are no other options. This is war."
Poland, which borders Ukraine, has been one of the loudest voices of support for Kiev. Much of the military aid donated to Ukraine reaches the country through Poland.
