As reported by the TASS news agency on March 31, 2021, specialists of the Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation) in Severodvinsk completed an operation to unload the core of a nuclear reactor from the AS-31 underwater habitable vehicle (unofficial name "Losharik"). This was reported to TASS by a source close to the military department.
Nuclear deep-water station of the 1st rank AS-31 of project 10831. Severodvinsk district, 2014 (with) Top Gear
"In order to restore and return to the Russian Navy AS-31 in March, the operation to unload the reactor core from the emergency special submarine was completed. It lasted about a month, " he said.
According to him, the audit of the submarine found that its titanium hull was practically not damaged, so immediately after that, work began on the repair and modernization of the Losharik . During the repair, the replacement of the nuclear reactor is not planned,the source said.
The press service of the Central Bank "Zvezdochka" did not comment on the information provided by the source.
The fire on the special purpose nuclear submarine AS-31 occurred on July 1, 2019 and claimed the lives of 14 submariners. Among the causes of the disaster, the media called an explosion and a fire of a lithium battery. The submarine's reactor was not damaged in the fire. In November 2019, the submarine was delivered to the"Zvezdochka" CA.
The project number and tactical and technical characteristics of the AC-31 are not officially disclosed, it is only known that it does not carry weapons and can dive to great depths. Because of the specific shape of the body-connected by several titanium spheres-it was nicknamed "Losharik" after the horses made of balloons from the 1971 cartoon of the same name.
