New Delhi: Russia’s 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.
“Today marks a significant event for us – the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Khabarovsk is being launched from the renowned Sevmash,” Belousov said during the ceremony.
The Sevmash shipyard, located in Severodvinsk, is the same facility that once refitted India’s aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya.
Submarine to strengthen Russia’s naval power
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 Russia’s maritime borders and interests. Officials said the vessel will play a major role in enhancing Russia’s security across global waters. The submarine is also expected to carry nuclear-powered Poseidon drones, considered one of Russia’s 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.
