Intelligence Reveals Secrets of New Russian Nuclear Submarine
The Ukrainian military intelligence agency (reported today) that it has obtained classified internal documents about the newly commissioned Russian nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine K-555 Knyaz Pozharsky, Project 955A “Borei-A”.
What Has Been Discovered
According to the agency, the archive includes:
- Crew lists with positions, qualifications, and physical training levels;
- Combat manuals and action schemes for different scenarios;
- Survivability system maps and crew organizational structure;
- Instructions for evacuating wounded personnel, transporting cargo, cabin work rules, and towing procedures;
- Engineering reports, including an inspection act of a deformed radio buoy with details on commission members and participating enterprises.
They also obtained an excerpt from the ship’s schedule book — a document regulating the submarine’s daily combat and routine operations.
Submarine Status
K-555 “Knyaz Pozharsky”, the fifth vessel of the 955A series, officially joined Russia’s Northern Fleet on July 24, 2025, becoming part of the 31st Submarine Division based in Gadzhiyevo, Murmansk region. The ceremony was attended personally by Russian President Vladimir Putin, underscoring the political significance of the project for the Kremlin.
Strategic Context
The Project 955A submarines are a key component of Moscow’s nuclear triad. They are equipped with 16 launch tubes for R-30 Bulava-30 intercontinental ballistic missiles, each capable of carrying up to 10 warheads.
The transition to the 955A class marks a modernization of the fleet and a gradual phase-out of older “Delfin” class submarines (Project 667BDR) in the coming years. By 2028, at least eight submarines of the series are expected to be in service, maintaining 128 active sea-based nuclear launchers while reducing the total SLBM stock from 192 to 128 warheads (source).
What It Means
Access to such data allows Western analysts and military strategists to gain a deeper understanding of:
- The actual capabilities and vulnerabilities of the Russian fleet;
- The nature of operational procedures and weaknesses in combat readiness management;
- The technical and personnel state of strategically important sectors.
This intelligence strengthens the case for enhancing NATO’s naval presence and accelerating modernization programs for its own deterrence systems.
