BMPD – On April 27, 2023, a ceremony of launching a large diesel-electric submarine B-608 “Mozhaisk” (fatary number 01618) of project 06363, which is under construction for the Russian Navy, was held in St. Petersburg at JSC Admiralty Shipyardyards (part of JSC (partnery Corporation” – JSC “USCJSC) of project 06363. This is the fifth of six project 06363 submarines under construction for the Pacific Fleet. Its delivery by the Russian Navy is scheduled for the end of the year. (In Russian)

(Thanks to Alain)

BBC – Russian ships able to perform underwater operations were present near to where explosions later took place on the Nord Stream pipelines, according to an investigative documentary.

Guardian – A Russian navy vessel specialising in submarine operations was photographed near the sabotaged Nord Stream gas pipelines just prior to the mysterious September blasts, according to the Danish daily newspaper Information.

RBC – The lead non-nuclear submarine “St. Petersburg” is planned to be written off due to expensive repairs. (In Russian)

(Thanks to Alain)

Barents Observer – Russia boosts its subsea mapping and sabotage capability amid growing concerns in northern Europe over safety for seafloor infrastructure.

Navy Lookout – Investigations by Danish media have discovered that in the past year multiple Russian civilian vessels have been conducting a detailed reconnaissance of offshore wind farms, gas pipes and power cables in the Baltic and North Sea. Here we summarise what is known and the implications.

BBC – Russia has a programme to sabotage wind farms and communication cables in the North Sea, according to new allegations.

War is Boring – The Admiral Gorshkov has become the first Russian warship to dock in Saudi Arabia. 

(Thanks to Alain)

Navy Lookout – Head of the US Northern Command recently told Senators that Russia could have its most powerful Yasen (NATO name Severodvinsk) class attack submarines on persistent patrols off either of America’s coasts within two years which will “reduce decision space for a national senior leader in a time of crisis”. Here we look at these boats and the wider Russian submarine threat that is equally applicable to the UK and Europe.

War Zone – The carrier Admiral Kuznetsov needs to recruit crew members quickly if it’s going to rejoin the Russian Navy in 2024 on schedule.

Wavell Room – Shipbuilding was one of the worst hit sectors following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991.  The legacy of this industrial disaster for 100,000s of workers and yards across the USSR (including Ukraine) persists to this day.  Russian maritime defence articles continue to make comparisons with that lost past.  The Russian debate is similar to British naval discourse constantly harking back to the navy that existed during the 1982 Falklands Conflict.

The sector has been under sanctions since 2014.  Post the February 2022 invasion, the sanctions regime has become far harsher.  This article reviews the impact of sanctions on Russian civilian and naval shipbuilding.

USNI News – Russia could have its most powerful and quiet nuclear attack submarines on persistent patrols off either U.S. Coast in the next two years, the head of U.S. Northern Command told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday.

Defense News – Russia this year will likely step up its presence in the Barents Sea and the Atlantic Ocean while lengthening its submarine deployments, according to a new Norwegian intelligence report.

RUSI – Russian moves to operationalise the Zircon hypersonic missile represent an important development, but the significance – especially in terms of the current conflict – should not be overstated.

War Zone – The operation to get the carrier out of its drydock began late last December, but the ship is still a ways from actually returning to service.

Defense News – Russia this year will likely step up its presence in the Barents Sea and the Atlantic Ocean while lengthening its submarine deployments, according to a new Norwegian intelligence report.

(Thanks to Alain)

El Snorkel – The Russian media Paluba.media publishes the first images of the interior of the balistic missile submarine Bulova “Generalissimo Suvorov” (In Spanish)

(Thanks to Alain)

CSIS – The impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine has been felt in the Arctic. The region’s primary diplomatic venue is paused, and military tensions are increasing. When Sweden and Finland join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), every Arctic country save Russia will be a member of the U.S.-led alliance. The war has not diminished Russia’s core economic and security interests in the region, but it has had some impact on its military readiness there in the short term, especially in terms of ground capabilities, if not at sea or in the air. In addition, there are some preliminary indications that sanctions and export controls may diminish Russia’s ability to deploy precision munitions to the Arctic to a degree. At the same time, Russia’s use of hybrid tactics in the region seems to be increasing in both frequency and severity. The United States and NATO will need to take stock of these developments in a region they have not historically prioritized as they begin to implement their new, respective strategies.

RUSI – Russian moves to operationalise the Zircon hypersonic missile represent an important development, but the significance – especially in terms of the current conflict – should not be overstated.

War Zone – A report in the Russian media claims that the first production examples of the country’s Poseidon nuclear-powered, nuclear-tipped, ultra-long-endurance torpedoes have been built. These will initially be provided to the Russian Navy’s shadowy Project 09852 Belgorod, the world’s longest submarine — but, at this stage, it’s unclear if the torpedoes actually have their nuclear warheads fitted.

US Naval War College Review – Both France after the Franco-Prussian War and post-Soviet Russia found themselves squeezed in multipolar worlds, with poor economies and loss of industrial power. Alongside Admiral Gorshkov’s continuing influence, modern Russian naval thinking has evolved toward an emphasis on smaller surface units with advanced capabilities—similar to the Jeune École concept—with implications for Western naval planning.

Naval News – This morning Russian Navy ships and submarines left their base at Novorossiysk, in the Black Sea, en-masse. This is highly unusual and may indicate ongoing operations.

War Zone – If true, Admiral Gorshkov’s deployment armed with Zircon hypersonic missiles is significant, but questions remain about this new capability.

Barents Observer – Seven Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers are in the first days of January crushing ice along the western sector of the Northern Sea Route and the outlets of the rivers Ob and Yenisei.

Naval News – On December 29, 2022, the Russian Navy commissioned three new vessels (Project 955A Borey-A class submarine Generalissimus Suvorov, Project 12700 Alexandrit-class MCM ship Anatoliy Shlemov, Project 21631 Buyan-M class Grad).