Russia Launches Sixth Yasen-M Nuclear Submarine Ulyanovsk

Key Milestone in Russian Nuclear Submarine Construction

Severodvinsk, Russia — The Sevmash shipyard has rolled the multi-purpose nuclear-powered submarine Ulyanovsk out of its construction hall, marking the completion of the vessel's slipway construction phase, according to a statement from the shipyard.

Ulyanovsk is the sixth submarine built in Russia's modernized Yasen-M class, formally designated Project 885M. These nuclear-powered attack submarines are designed to strike targets on land and at sea with cruise missiles while also hunting enemy ships and submarines, making them among the most capable vessels in the Russian Navy's current arsenal.

Sevmash, based in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk on the White Sea, has served as the country's primary builder of nuclear submarines for decades and remains the sole yard currently producing this class.

What the Roll-Out Signifies

Rolling a submarine out of its construction hangar does not mean the vessel is combat ready. The move — sometimes called a float-out or slipway completion, depending on the specific yard process — confirms that the hull and major internal systems have reached the stage where the vessel can leave the covered building where it was assembled and begin the next phase of construction.

This typically involves:

• Mooring trials alongside the pier
• Sea trials testing propulsion, navigation, weapons systems, and deep-diving capability under real ocean conditions

Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Alexander Moiseyev attended the ceremony and confirmed the submarine will eventually join Russia's Northern Fleet, the naval command responsible for defending Russia's Arctic and North Atlantic approaches. However, the vessel still faces what is typically a lengthy trials period before formal handover to the fleet.

Current Fleet and Construction Status

Five Yasen and Yasen-M submarines already serve in the Russian Navy today, according to the shipyard's statement:

• Severodvinsk — the class's original vessel
• Kazan — modernized Yasen-M
• Novosibirsk — modernized Yasen-M
• Krasnoyarsk — modernized Yasen-M
• Arkhangelsk — modernized Yasen-M

Several additional submarines in the series remain under construction at various stages. Just over a month before the Ulyanovsk ceremony, on June 17, 2026, Sevmash laid the keel for a ninth Yasen-M submarine named Murmansk — the first new vessel in the series to begin construction in six years, according to a statement from Russia's Defense Ministry.

That gap between new keel layings reflects both the enormous cost of nuclear submarine construction and the technical complexity involved. Unit costs for the class are estimated to range from roughly $700 million to more than $1.5 billion, depending on the specific boat and exchange rates in effect during its build period, according to Army Recognition.

Strategic Significance

The Yasen-M class carries particular weight in Western naval planning circles because of what it represents, rather than simply how many hulls exist. Each submarine is designed to carry a mix of:

• Kalibr land-attack cruise missiles
• Oniks anti-ship missiles
• Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles — a weapon capable of speeds that current Western missile defense systems struggle to intercept reliably

The class's combination of reduced acoustic signature and long-range precision strike capability drew a pointed warning from Britain's First Sea Lord, Admiral Gwyn Jenkins, in December 2025. He cautioned that the Western alliance's traditional advantage in the North Atlantic could erode as Russia continues strengthening this submarine fleet.

Russian officials have stated publicly that they intend to eventually replace the Navy's entire aging fleet of Soviet-era attack submarines — including older Oscar II, Akula, and Sierra II class vessels — with Yasen and Yasen-M boats, targeting a total fleet of roughly 10 to 12 submarines of the class by 2035.

Timeline to Service

The submarine is expected to undergo roughly a year of sea trials covering:

• Navigation systems
• Deep-diving operations in the Norwegian Sea
• Weapons testing
• Crew training

Any formal transfer to the Northern Fleet is not expected before late 2027, according to some reports. That timeline is not unusual for the class. The previous Yasen-M submarine launched at Sevmash, Perm, first began sea trials more than a year ago and still has not been formally handed over to the Navy — a reminder that Russian shipbuilding schedules for these vessels have historically run longer than initially announced.