Russia Launches 13,800-Ton Nuclear Cruise Missile Submarine Ulyanovsk At Sevmash Shipyard

Russia’s new nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine, Ulyanovsk, entered the last construction phase before going for trials and delivery to the Russian Navy.

The launch event was organised on Jun 28, 2026, at Severodvinsk’s Sevmash Shipyard, where it was taken from the construction site into the water for outfitting.

The submarine weighs 13,800 tons and was built under Moscow’s Project 885M (Yasen-M). The original Project 885 Severodvinsk entered service in 2014.

Onboard systems will also be fitted by workers while the submarine remains alongside the shipyard before going for state acceptance trials before its scheduled delivery in December 2027.

Ulyanovsk will join the Northern Fleet once it enters service. Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev said the submarine is part of a larger effort to modernise the country’s naval forces.

“In June this year, the renowned Sevmash Shipyard laid down the nuclear-powered submarine Murmansk, while today the sixth cruiser in the Project’s series, the Ulyanovsk, is being rolled out of its slipway.

This is evidence of systemic work to renew the fleet and raise the Navy’s combat capabilities. The construction of the Ulyanovsk sub will be completed afloat, and it will undergo a series of trials. The submarine will subsequently operate within the Red Banner Northern Fleet and continue the glorious traditions of its predecessors,” he said.

Four Yasen-M submarines, namely the Kazan, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Arkhangelsk, are already in service alongside Severodvinsk.

Ulyanovsk is the 6th submarine in the series, which is nearing completion and is the latest addition to the class.

The production line is also continuous. In June, the shipyard laid down Murmansk, which is the 9th submarine in the series.

The Yasen-M class is designed to serve as the Russian Navy’s main attack submarines, capable of anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship operations, land attack missions, and intelligence gathering.

They have heavyweight torpedo tubes and vertical launch systems for cruise missiles such as the Kalibr family and P-800 Oniks.

Their propulsion system makes them quieter when they operate, and they also feature upgraded sonar and combat systems. The hull is designed to reduce acoustic signature.