Russia Launches Nuclear Submarine Khabarovsk

The Russian Ministry of Defence announced that the nuclear-powered submarine Khabarovsk has been launched from the slipway at the Sevmash JSC shipyard in Severodvinsk. The event was attended by Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev, United Shipbuilding Corporation Director General Andrei Puchkov, and Sevmash Director Mikhail Budnichenko.

The Khabarovsk was designed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau of Marine Engineering JSC and is intended for operations using modern underwater weapons and robotic systems. Defence Minister Andrei Belousov described the event as a key step in the development of Russia’s naval capabilities, saying, “The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Khabarovsk is being removed from the slipway of the Sevmash shipyard.”

Belousov added that the submarine, equipped with underwater weapons and robotic systems, “will enable Russia to ensure the security of its maritime borders and protect its national interests in various regions of the world’s oceans.” He also noted that the vessel would undergo sea trials before joining operational service. “The ship still needs to undergo a series of sea trials. I wish the crew and the fleet introduction team success in these tests,” he said.

The Khabarovsk submarine, designated Project 09851, belongs to a class sometimes referred to as the Khabarovsk-class. Its design reportedly derives from the Borei-class ballistic missile submarine but omits the missile compartment, giving it a surfaced displacement of around 10,000 tons. Designed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau, it is intended to carry specialised underwater platforms, unmanned systems, and up to six nuclear-powered “Poseidon” torpedoes—autonomous underwater drones capable of long-range, high-speed operation. Sources indicate that Khabarovsk and Belgorod, both equipped with these torpedoes, are expected to serve with the Russian Pacific Fleet. The submarine was laid down in 2014, with its launch delayed from earlier projections of 2020–21.