Russia's Khabarovsk submarine begins sea trials, designed to carry six Poseidon nuclear drones

Published Aug 17, 04:31 PM UTC

Russia's Project 09851 submarine Khabarovsk commenced factory sea trials on August 17, 2026, its first time underway since construction began in 2014. Built at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, the vessel is designed to carry six Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drones, each approximately 20 meters long and weighing 110 tons, with a reported range of 10,000 kilometers. The submarine was floated out on November 1, 2025, and is expected to join the Pacific Fleet. President Vladimir Putin claimed Russia conducted its first test of an activated Poseidon nuclear power unit on October 28, 2025, though this has not been independently verified. Russia plans to field a total of five Poseidon-armed submarines, with the first carrier, Belgorod, delivered in July 2022. A dedicated submarine base is under construction at Krasheninnikov Bay on the Kamchatka Peninsula.