Russia has launched its newest nuclear-powered submarine, Khabarovsk, designed to carry the deadly Poseidon nuclear drone, also known as the โdoomsday missile.โ
Russiaโs Defence Minister Andrei Belousov officially launched the Khabarovsk, a heavy nuclear-powered submarine, in a ceremony broadcast on national television. The event was attended by Admiral Alexander Moiseyev, the Russian Naval Chief, and other senior defence officials.
โToday marks a significant event for us โ the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Khabarovsk is being launched from the renowned Sevmash,โ Belousov said during the ceremony.
The Sevmash shipyard, located in Severodvinsk, is the same facility that once refitted Indiaโs aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya.
Submarine to strengthen Russiaโs naval powerย
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the Khabarovsk submarine has been developed by Rubin Design Bureau, a leading naval engineering firm. The submarine is equipped with modern underwater weapons and robotic systems to strengthen the protection of Russiaโs maritime borders and interests. Officials said the vessel will play a major role in enhancing Russiaโs security across global waters. The submarine is also expected to carry nuclear-powered Poseidon drones, considered one of Russiaโs most advanced and secretive weapons.
The Poseidon is an underwater drone powered by a small nuclear reactor, reportedly 100 times smaller than the reactor in a typical nuclear submarine, as President Vladimir Putin recently revealed. According to Russian media, the drone can travel at great depths and over long intercontinental distances, moving faster than most submarines or torpedoes.
Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev has called it a โDoomsday missileโ, while Andrei Kartapolov, head of Russiaโs Duma Defence Committee, claimed the Poseidon could โwipe out entire coastal nations.โ
The launch of the Khabarovsk comes just days after Russia confirmed a successful test of the Poseidon drone. The Russian newspaper Kommersant noted that the new submarine class, including the Khabarovsk, is expected to be the main carrier of Poseidon drones in the future. Military analysts have described the Poseidon system as a potential strategic deterrent, capable of causing catastrophic damage if ever used, as it can generate radioactive tsunamis targeting coastal cities.