The Russian Federation continues to strengthen its Navy with the induction of the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine Knyaz Pozharsky (K-555), the fifth vessel of the Borei-A class (Project 955A), during an official naval flag-raising ceremony led by President Vladimir Putin at the Sevmash shipyard in the city of Severodvinsk.
The solemn event was attended by high-ranking officials from the Kremlin and the Navy, including First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, presidential aides Alexei Dyumin and Nikolai Patrushev, Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Alexander Moiseyev, and the Governor of Arkhangelsk Region, Alexander Tsybulsky.
In his speech, Putin emphasized the strategic importance of the new submarine for national defense and Russia’s nuclear deterrent: “This is the fifth missile carrier of the Borei-A project delivered to the Navy in the past six years. These submarines form the backbone of our naval strategic nuclear forces and will ensure the security of our state for decades to come.”
Knyaz Pozharsky (or Prince Pozharsky in English) is the eighth nuclear-powered submarine in the Borei/Borei-A family, joining a fleet that already includes three units of the original Project 955 (K-535 Yury Dolgorukiy, K-550 Alexander Nevsky, and K-551 Vladimir Monomakh) and four of the upgraded 955A project (Knyaz Vladimir, Knyaz Oleg, Generalissimus Suvorov, and Imperator Aleksandr III).
Built by the Northern Machine-Building Enterprise (Sevmash), Russia’s largest shipbuilding plant and part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, Pozharsky is equipped with 16 R-30 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, each capable of carrying MIRV warheads. It also features advanced torpedo systems, sonar countermeasures, navigation, and communications systems. Its design incorporates significant improvements in maneuverability, acoustic stealth, and crew habitability.
The induction of Knyaz Pozharsky is part of a broader naval modernization plan. According to President Putin, more than 70 vessels are currently under construction at various shipyards across the country, including six new nuclear submarines that Sevmash plans to deliver by 2030.
With steady and continuous execution, Moscow aims to secure its strategic naval supremacy on the global stage. The Borei-A class stands at the core of that long-term vision.
Images courtesy of the Kremlin.
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