On June 16, the Russian Navy announced that the Kilo-class attack submarine “Kaluga” had arrived in the city of Polyarny after completing a long-range deployment. Upon its return, the vessel and its crew were received by the Chief of Staff of the Northern Fleet, Vice Admiral Eduard Mikhailov. The submarine docked at the base that houses the so-called Kola Flotilla of the Northern Fleet’s mixed forces, where it was resupplied and underwent technical checks to ensure it is fully operational for upcoming missions.
Commenting on this, the submarine’s commander, Second Rank Captain Vitaly Popov, stated: “The submarine is unique. She’s the only ‘girl’ in our unit; she’s quite temperamental. But in carrying out her assigned task, she performed like a Swiss watch: nothing broke, everything was fine. As a result, the entire crew is alive, well, and reunited with their loved ones.” Upon their return, the crew received commendations, and the captain was presented with a roasted pig.
While local sources did not provide specifics about the deployment, open-source intelligence (OSINT) suggests that this stopover is part of preparations for an upcoming mission to the Arctic. This region is gaining increasing strategic importance as melting ice opens new navigable routes, generating a need for greater control. According to reports, the Kaluga will take part in combat training missions there to demonstrate its capabilities.
It is worth recalling that the Kaluga is a diesel-electric submarine of the Project 877 Paltus class (known as Kilo by NATO), originally launched in 1989. It displaces around 3,000 tons submerged, with an estimated length of 73 meters, a draft of 6.2 meters, and a beam of 9.9 meters—enough to accommodate up to 57 crew members. In terms of armament, it is equipped with six 533 mm torpedo tubes in the bow, capable of carrying up to 18 heavy torpedoes or 24 naval mines, and it can also be outfitted with Kalibr cruise missiles. The Kaluga can reach speeds of up to 20 knots submerged and has an endurance of approximately 45 days.
*Image credits: Northern Fleet Press Service
You may also like: The Russian Navy commissions the sixth of the new improved Kilo-class attack submarines intended for the Pacific Fleet
