Category
Latest news

Russia Unveils Nuclear Submarine Near NATO Border, Armed With Poseidon Doomsday Torpedoes

2 min read
Authors
Photo of Ivan Khomenko
Ivan Khomenko
News Writer
Russian naval officers stand in front of the *Khabarovsk* nuclear submarine during its launch ceremony at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, near the Finnish border. (Source: Russian Ministry of Defense)
Russian naval officers stand in front of the *Khabarovsk* nuclear submarine during its launch ceremony at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, near the Finnish border. (Source: Russian Ministry of Defense)

Russia has launched the Khabarovsk, a new nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine reportedly designed to carry Poseidon nuclear torpedoes.

The launch ceremony took place at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, a port city near the Finnish border, according to Russian Ministry of Defense.

Russian state media claimed the submarine can carry up to 12 Poseidon nuclear torpedoes—unmanned underwater vehicles that Moscow describes as capable of striking targets “anywhere in the world’s oceans.”

Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, who attended the ceremony, said the vessel would “strengthen the protection of Russia’s maritime borders and defend its interests in various oceanic regions.” He added that Khabarovsk must still complete a series of sea trials before entering service.

The Khabarovsk submarine is intended for long-range strategic operations and will operate as part of Russia’s nuclear deterrent fleet. The Poseidon system, unveiled by Russian leader Vladimir Putin in 2018, is described by Russian officials as an autonomous, nuclear-powered underwater drone capable of carrying a nuclear warhead over intercontinental distances.

Infographic illustrating the Khabarovsk submarine of Russia’s Project 09851, designed to carry six nuclear-powered Poseidon torpedoes—each over twenty times larger than a standard torpedo. (Source: H. I. Sutton, 2020)
Infographic illustrating the Khabarovsk submarine of Russia’s Project 09851, designed to carry six nuclear-powered Poseidon torpedoes—each over twenty times larger than a standard torpedo. (Source: H. I. Sutton, 2020)

According to open-source defense data, the Khabarovsk belongs to Project 09851 and is estimated to displace about 10,000 tons submerged. The submarine’s length is approximately 113–120 meters, with a beam near 10 meters.

It is powered by a nuclear reactor, capable of reaching speeds up to 30–32 knots and diving to depths of around 500 meters. The vessel reportedly carries a crew of about 100 and can remain at sea for up to three months without resupply.

The submarine’s main purpose is to serve as a carrier for up to six or possibly twelve Poseidon torpedoes (known as Status-6 in NATO classification). These autonomous nuclear-powered underwater vehicles are designed to travel across oceans at great depth and strike coastal targets with potential nuclear payloads.

Analysts note that the Khabarovsk shares design features with the Project 955 Borei-class submarines but is optimized for special missions rather than ballistic missile deployment.

Earlier, Putin hailed the first full test of the nuclear-powered Poseidon underwater vehicle as a “huge success,” claiming its speed, depth, and power “significantly exceed” those of the Sarmat intercontinental missile.

The Russian leader said the test involved both submarine launch and activation of the onboard nuclear reactor, though Moscow provided no independent technical verification of these claims.

See all

Help Us Break Through the Algorithm

Your support pushes verified reporting into millions of feeds—cutting through noise, lies, and manipulation. You make truth impossible to ignore.

Join MonthlyGive One Time