A new Russian submarine with nuclear drones that can destroy an aircraft carrier and cause a tsunami has gone on its first voyage. Experts believe that it is perfectly equipped for sabotage and covert operations and will report directly to the country's leadership, bypassing the structure of the naval command.
Vladimir Putin's huge 195-meter submarine "Belgorod" went on its first voyage.
A giant ship capable of sinking aircraft carriers and dubbed the "city killer" has entered open waters for the first time.
It is believed that the Belgorod is the largest submarine in the last 30 years.
The ship went to sea for the first time this week, when Russia flexed its naval muscles during the incident with the British destroyer Defender in the Black Sea.
Russia said that a Royal Navy ship entered its waters, after which it fired warning shots and dropped bombs.
Experts fear that an underwater explosion of a 24-meter-long Poseidon torpedo could lead to a radioactive tsunami.
Coastal cities will be threatened by a devastating blow with waves up to 90 meters high
It is reported that the secret Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research will operate the giant vessel.
It is claimed that the submarine is equipped with six nuclear torpedoes, each of which can carry warheads with an explosive capacity of up to two megatons.
This is equivalent to two million tons of TNT, which is 130 times more powerful than the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima.
Dr. Sidharth Kaushal of the Royal Institute of Defense Studies said that a fleet of unmanned underwater vehicles will be of great value to President Putin.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, he said: "The Belgorod is large enough to serve as a base for a unique set of small vessels that have the ability to dive deep and can interfere with the underwater infrastructure."
"It is perfectly equipped for sabotage and covert operations. Its Poseidon nuclear torpedoes can become an extremely effective means of attacking aircraft carriers in wartime, and there is currently no defense against them."
"At the same time, the Belgorod as such will not be part of the Russian Navy, which means that its secret and aggressive actions will be formally denied. Apparently, the submarine was created for anonymous combat operations with the participation of special forces, and its commanders will report directly to the [political] leadership of the country, bypassing the structure of the naval command."
Earlier on Wednesday, Russian Navy ships fired " warning shots "at the British destroyer Defender.
Dramatic scenes were reported in the disputed waters: bombs were allegedly dropped near the ship as a warning.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that the country will protect its borders "by all possible means."
Lottie O'Neill
