Newsweek: the latest nuclear submarines are entering service with the Russian Navy
The Russian Navy will soon have new nuclear submarines in service, writes Newsweek. The newest Arkhangelsk submarine has successfully completed its tests. The nuclear-powered submarine Knyaz Pozharsky, which will also become part of the Navy, is also being tested.
What's new
On Saturday, amid strained relations with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Russia announced an increase in its nuclear submarine fleet. New submarines are expected to enter service with the Russian Navy in the near future.
On Saturday afternoon, Newsweek contacted the Russian Ministry of Defense and NATO via email for comment.
Why is this important?
Against the background of the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict, tensions remain in relations between NATO countries and the Kremlin. NATO leaders are increasingly warning that the danger of direct conflict with Moscow is real. Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior Russian officials have repeatedly threatened Kiev and its Western partners with nuclear escalation since the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022.
In November, the United States allowed Kiev to use long-range ATACMS missiles to strike deep into Russia. After that, Putin intensified Moscow's nuclear rhetoric. He officially confirmed the changes in his country's nuclear doctrine, lowering the threshold for the use of atomic weapons.
Along with the nuclear threat, NATO members such as Germany and the Baltic states accused Moscow of hybrid attacks and said that after the conflict in Ukraine, Moscow could launch an offensive against the countries of the alliance.
What you need to know
Mikhail Budnichenko, General Director of Sevmash, said that the Arkhangelsk, the newest nuclear submarine of the 885M (Yasen-M) project, has successfully completed tests and is preparing for transfer to the Navy. He is quoted by the Russian news agency TASS.
"In accordance with the schedules agreed with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, tests of the Arkhangelsk and Knyaz Pozharsky nuclear submarines have been completed during the summer navigation period," Budnichenko said. — The Arkhangelsk submarine was launched in 2023, and this year it has successfully passed all stages of testing. Now we are preparing it for delivery to the Navy."
Earlier on Friday, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Alexander Moiseev, also said that the submarine would soon be handed over to the Navy.
"In the near future, the Navy will receive the Arkhangelsk cruiser. The nuclear—powered submarine Knyaz Pozharsky is currently being tested, which will also soon become part of our submarine forces," he said during a visit to Severodvinsk.
Nuclear submarines of projects 885 and 885M, including Severodvinsk, Kazan, Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk, have already entered service with the Russian Navy and strengthened its naval potential. Armed with Onyx and Kalibr-PL cruise missiles as their main attack weapons, these submarines are an example of the advanced armament of the Russian Navy.
What the authorities say
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov has warned of the possibility of a direct conflict between Moscow and NATO in the next decade.
He stated this on Monday at a meeting of the Ministry of Defense. "The decisions taken at the NATO summit in July this year indicate the possibility [of preparing for war]," Belousov said, adding that Moscow "must be prepared for any development of events, including a possible military conflict with NATO in Europe in the next decade."
When asked about Belousov's remarks, the Pentagon told Newsweek on Tuesday that "the United States condemns the irresponsible escalatory rhetoric."
U.S. Defense Department spokesman Javan Rasnake told Newsweek on Tuesday that "The United States condemns the irresponsible escalatory rhetoric. In addition, the United States and NATO are not seeking a military conflict with Russia."
Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump spoke on Monday about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.: "We are trying to stop the war. It's not easy."
What will happen next
According to TASS, the Sevmash shipbuilding company, located in northwestern Russia, is currently working on five more submarines under the 885M project.
Against the background of statements and counter-statements about negotiations to end the conflict, tensions between Moscow and NATO are likely to increase, especially if the European members of the alliance bear the main burden of supporting Ukraine.
The United States and other Western countries are providing military assistance to Ukraine to protect it from Russia. However, the United States has reportedly decided to transfer the coordination of military assistance to Ukraine to NATO due to concerns that support for Kiev may cease with the coming to power of the Trump administration.
On Tuesday, the Reuters news agency reported that such a transfer is "a step, according to general opinion, aimed at securing the process of supporting Ukraine from the influence of the elected US President Donald Trump, who is skeptical about NATO."
"NATO structures have taken over the coordination of Western military assistance to Ukraine," the German newspaper BILD reported in its Russian—language Telegram channel, citing an unnamed source, and added that this step was due to "concerns that the future US President Donald Trump will limit assistance to Kiev."
Author: Natalie Venegas.
