Russian Navy nuclear attack submarine caught fire for strange reason

What you need to know: The Russian Navy’s safety record has long been questioned, particularly following numerous incidents involving its nuclear submarines. One notable incident was the 2006 fire aboard the Daniil Moskovsky, a Victor III-class attack submarine.

-The fire, caused by an electrical short circuit, led to the death of two crew members from carbon monoxide poisoning. Despite the nuclear reactor being safely shut down, the submarine had to be towed back to its port at Vidyayevo. This incident follows other significant naval accidents, including the tragic Kursk submarine disaster in 2000 and the sinking of the K-159 in 2003.

– Such recurring incidents highlight ongoing problems in the Russian Navy’s security protocols and operational procedures, further highlighted by setbacks during the invasion of Ukraine.

The 2006 Daniil Moskovsky fire: How a Russian submarine incident raised the alarm

The Russian Navy does not have the best security record. Multiple incidents have raised questions about the quality of Russian Navy production and procedures. One such incident was the 2006 fire aboard the Daniil Moskovsky.

A Victor III-class attack submarine, the Moskovsky was nuclear-powered and capable of reaching top speeds in excess of thirty knots. First commissioned in 1988, as K-414, after the fall of the Soviet Union, the ship was renamed in honor of Prince Daniil Moskovsky.

The Moskovsky was approximately 330 feet long and displaced 7,250 tons when fully submerged. For propulsion, the submarine relied on a VM-4P dual pressurized water nuclear reactor and two sets of OK-300 steam turbines, which could generate 31,000 horsepower and 23,000 kilowatts of power at 290 rpm. min of tree. The submarine could operate for periods of eighty days. The Moskovsky was armed with four torpedo tubes and typically carried up to sixteen torpedoes and/or missiles.

A “short circuit” caused the fire

The cause of the fire was an electrical short circuit. The fire broke out while the submarine was sailing in the Barents Sea. Two crew members died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Another crew member was injured. But ninety-three of the ninety-six crew members remained unharmed.

“Officials said an onboard protection system shut down the submarine’s nuclear reactor and there was no threat of radioactive contamination of the sea,” CBC reported.

Following the fire, the Moskovsky had to be towed to its port in Vidyayevo.

“We did not warn our neighbors because there were enough vessels, including two rescue tugs, near the incident,” an official said. “We decided not to do anything at sea and to tow it back to its home port where it was launched.”

This incident was not the Russian Navy’s first security lapse.

“The Northern Fleet has suffered a series of accidents on its submarines,” Fox News reported. The worst happened in 2000, when the Kursk nuclear submarine sank in the Barents Sea, killing all 118 crew members on board. The sinking occurred after a torpedo misfired, causing a massive explosion.

In 2003, nine members of a crew of ten were killed when the K-159 sank while being towed through a squall. The squall tore off one of the submarine’s pontoons. In addition to the nine crew members, around 800 kilograms of spent nuclear fuel were also lost, raising concerns in the international community over Russian naval safety standards.

Russian navy and submarines still in difficulty

Russia’s armed forces were disappointing during the nearly three-year invasion of Ukraine. Tanks and planes struggled to survive. Likewise, the Russian Navy suffered high-profile setbacks, including the sinking of the Moskva, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet. In one week last month, Russia suffered ten thousand casualties.

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a defense and national security writer with more than 1,000 total articles on issues related to world affairs. A lawyer, pilot, guitarist, and minor professional hockey player, Harrison joined the United States Air Force as a trainee pilot, but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MS from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.

Image credit: Creative Commons and/or Shutterstock of various Russian submarines.