Just Watch How Russians Have Fun Inventing Names For Putin’s Breakthrough Strategic Toys
Russians have suggested more than 60,000 names for the new strategic arms presented by the President. One can submit their version via the Ministry of Defence website. Anybody can do it. The Russian embassy in the US invited the Americans to take part in it as well.
Anton Podkovenko will tell us how the name will be chosen.
- Anton, greetings! What does it take you to take part in the vote?
- Good evening. Nothing, actually, beside your desire and creativity.
From the 'Ice Fox' to the 'Thunderer'. The Ministry of Defence website features a video about our cutting-edge weapons. There's a line under it saying "Suggest your own name".
63,000 names have already been proposed not only by Russian citizens: about 1/4 suggestions come from the CIS countries, and about 10% from non-CIS states.
Viktor Baranets, Komsomolskaya Pravda, military columnist: “The Thunderer or the Overlord sound nice, don't they? We already have a Prometheus and a Triumph'. Today there is a funny approach to such a serious matter This is what the Russian soul consists of. Our people treat even such serious issues with a humorous undertone. It's good, it bears evidence of the health of the nation. The ice fox is a beautiful Russian animal. And due to its phonic similarity to a Russian swearword, I think it will be number one. Most people like it."
3,000 names per hour get submtted to the Ministry of Defence website. The most popular ones will be shortlisted for another vote. Most suggestions concern the missiles, though there are also a new submarine and laser arms. Here's our compilation from social media.
"Invisible, Yarilo, Phoenix".
"Surprise, Wake Up Call".
"Gift sounds elegant and funny".
"See who we are! and Big Boom!"
"The best name for a missile is the Black Hole".
"Kolovrat is a beautiful name".
However, there are many skeptics as well.
"Let's choose the name for missiles that will destroy humanity! LOL! It's so amusing!"
"The reaction of the so-called liberals is quite understandable. They're always trying to decry our country's achievements in military technology, energy, saying that infrastructure, social projects are to be invested in instead. It's actually a doublespeak. Our government is developing all the fields, but the unfavorable international situation makes it consider national security. Unfortunately, there are people in our country who are ready to exchange national security and sovereignty for, figuratively speaking, Parmesan cheese".
How does military equipment get names? First, a product, as designers put it, only has a code for insiders.
Nikolay Makarovets, SPLAV chief designer and deputy CEO: "Some name, like Kalibr, for example, are born on the spot. On the spot, but for the sake of the idea. The list of names is considered by the customer. Sometimes we have disputes".
When the production of a weapon is started, the design bureau and the research institute think of a name for it. Sometimes they organize tenders, but they are closed unlike this one.
Viktor Baranets: "It's a patriotic flashmob, as the one who proposes the name that is chosen by the Ministry of Defence will go down in history for as long as this weapon exists".
And so will its designer. A sample invented near Moscow is on the list of innovations.
Alexei Moskovsky, ex-deputy Minister of Defence (2001-2007): "One of the samples was developed in Dubna by chief designer Igor Sergeevich Seleznyov. I suggest eternalizing somehow the name of this great designer. For example, by calling the weapon Selezen ('he-duck' in Russian).”
The idea of people choosing the name couldn't but succeed. The legendary Soviet field rocket artillery was called Project BM-13 only by designers. Hearing the name of Katyusha given to it by our soldiers, fascists would turn pale. It also was an innovation in military equipment.
- Thanks, Anton. Anton Podkovenko has just told us how names for the new weapons are chosen.