Overview
- The Khabarovsk was launched at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk in a ceremony attended by Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, who called it a significant event for the navy.
- Russian sources describe the submarine as a dedicated platform for the nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable Poseidon underwater vehicle, with reporting variously citing capacity for six to as many as twelve units.
- President Vladimir Putin recently asserted a successful Poseidon test and claimed the system is more powerful than Russia’s Sarmat ICBM and cannot be intercepted.
- Russian media say the submarine will conduct sea trials before joining the Pacific Fleet, with Belgorod already delivered and a third Poseidon-capable submarine planned for delivery by 2027.
- Official imagery initially revealed only the stern and pump‑jet, and analysts note many specifications remain opaque, while a new satellite image published this week provided the first full view of the hull at Sevmash.