Russia has launched a new nuclear submarine, despite economic problems

The Kremlin is trying to demonstrate the power of the fleet, although the economy is cracking under the weight of war and sanctions.

The Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk held a flag-raising ceremony for the new nuclear submarine Knyaz Pozharsky (K-555). Gospodarka Morska reports.

This is the fifth submarine in the series of Project 955A Borey-A missile carriers. The Kremlin presents this step as evidence of the “resilience of the Russian shipbuilding industry”, which, despite sanctions, is trying to maintain the serial construction of warships.

The Knyaz Pozharsky was built for more than six years and became part of a subseries of 14 planned nuclear submarines. It is equipped with 16 Bulava ballistic missiles and is intended for the Russian Northern Fleet.

Despite the Kremlin’s rhetoric, the introduction of this boat into the Navy has been delayed by more than six months, and plans for a large-scale fleet renewal remain in question due to financial pressure and a lack of technology.

Putin has announced his intention to spend more than 8 trillion rubles on the construction of warships by the 2030s. However, sanctions, colossal military spending and falling revenues cast doubt on the reality of these promises.

USM also recently reported that Russia canceled the main naval parade scheduled for July 27 in St. Petersburg without explanation.