Ukraine says it stole intel from the Russian Navy and found weak points in its newest nuclear missile submarine

Ukraine said that it stole troves of classified information on Russia’s newest nuclear missile submarine during a recent operation, including data that points to the vessel’s vulnerabilities.

Specialists working for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the HUR, breached the Russian Navy and obtained internal documents concerning the new Project 955A Borei-class submarine Knyaz Pozharsky, which entered service less than two weeks ago.

The HUR specialists got their hands on a list of the submarine’s crew, including information about positions, fitness levels, and combat instructions, as well as data regarding the boat’s layout, such as diagrams of its survivability systems, the intelligence agency said in a statement over the weekend.

The HUR published several documents that appeared to have been obtained from the breach. It said that its intelligence agents also obtained access to the crew regulations, instructions for transferring wounded sailors and cargo, engineering documents, towing procedures, and details about the submarine’s schedule.

Business Insider was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the documents. Russia’s defense ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the theft.

The Ukrainian intel operation could be a setback for the Russian Navy and expose vulnerabilities within its Project 955A-class submarines, a key element of Moscow’s nuclear triad — alongside its arsenal of ground- and air-launched missiles — and considered to be among its most advanced submarines.

“The information obtained by the intelligence allows identifying the features and technical limitations not only of the ‘Knyaz Pozharsky’ but also of other submarines of Project 955A, critically important for maintaining the imperial myth of the aggressor state Russia,” the HUR wrote in a Telegram post on Sunday.

Russia operates one of the largest submarine fleets in the world, with an estimated 64 active vessels. Among them are five of the improved Project 955A “Borei-A” class variants. These stealthy, nuclear-powered boats are 170 meters long and can travel at speeds of 29 knots, or 33 mph, when submerged. Each of the Project 955A vessels, like Knyaz Pozharskiy, can carry 16 RSM-56 Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) equipped with nuclear warheads.

The strategic RSM-56 is a three-stage solid propellant intercontinental ballistic missile that’s been in service since 2013. The missile has an estimated range of over 8,000 kilometers and can carry up to 10 independently targetable warheads, each carrying about 100-150 kilotons of nuclear material. The submarines can also carry a dozen torpedoes.

Construction of the new Knyaz Pozharskiy began in 2016, and the vessel was commissioned into service just recently on July 24 at a ceremony attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. It joined the 31st submarine division of Russia’s Northern Fleet, based in Gadzhievo, in the Murmansk region.

Russian submarine and underwater activity, especially in the Arctic region, has increasingly become a focus for NATO. Just last week, for instance, the military alliance announced the deployment of a maritime task force to operate in the High North region amid efforts to increase its presence there.

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