Northern Fleet launches cruise missile from submerged submarine amid NATO Arctic drill
An Oniks anti-ship cruise missile was launched from the multi-role nuclear-powered submarine Kazan in the Barents Sea, striking a sea target 300 km away.
Ahead of the launch, Russia issued a warning to aviation and shipping that a missile would be fired sometime between 11 and 13 March. The restricted area lies across the maritime border between Norway and Russia.
“As part of planned combat training activities, the Northern Fleet’s nuclear-powered submarine Kazan fired an Oniks cruise missile from a submerged position at a sea target designated as a simulated enemy ship located at a distance of up to 300 kilometres,” the Russian Northern Fleet’s press service said on Thursday.
If the clock on the wall in the control room of the Kazan is correct, as shown in the video from the press service, the launch took place at 11.14 am Moscow time.
The screens with positioning information were all blurred, making it impossible to tell where in the Barents Sea the launch took place or the location of the mock enemy ship.
The information has not been confirmed by independent sources.
The Kazan (K-561) is one of the Russian Navy’s newest submarines. It belongs to the fourth-generation Yasen-M class of nuclear-powered multi-role submarines and carries a wide range of weapons, including cruise missiles that can be armed with nuclear warheads.
The Norwegian Armed Forces declined to confirm whether they observed the Russian activity in the Barents Sea.
“This is classified information and something we cannot comment on,” said Jonny Karlsen, a spokesperson for the Joint Headquarters, speaking to The Barents Observer.
It is likely that Russia’s launch of a cruise missile towards a simulated enemy ship in the Barents Sea is sabre-rattling, intended as a form of military signalling directed at Norway and NATO.
Earlier this week, NATO and allied forces began a major military exercise across northern Finland, Norway and Sweden. The Cold Response 26 exercise brings together around 25,000 troops from 14 countries to train for the defence of NATO’s northern flank in winter conditions.
As part of the exercise scenario, troops are moving from northern Norway into both Sweden and Finland.
Cold Response will run until 21 March.
