Russia's Nuclear-Powered Submarine Conducts Missile Drills

The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced that the new Project 885M (Yasen-M) nuclear-powered submarine Arkhangelsk successfully conducted training exercises in the Barents Sea.

As part of the ongoing Zapad 2025 (West 2025) military drills, the submarine launched Kalibr high-precision cruise missiles at simulated enemy targets, The Caspian Post reports, citing TASS.

"Within the framework of the joint strategic Zapad 2025 drills, the Northern Fleet’s submarine forces delivered a missile strike using high-precision long-range missile weapons on a simulated enemy in the Barents Sea. The crew of the nuclear-powered submarine cruiser Arkhangelsk practiced launching a Kalibr cruise missile at a sea target from an underwater position," it said in a statement.

The Russian Defense Ministry emphasized that the area of missile launches had been temporarily closed for civilian navigation and flights. It specified that the area’s security was ensured by the Northern Fleet’s Kola Flotilla of Combined Arms Forces.

"According to objective control data, the missile successfully hit the sea target," the ministry said.

The Russian Defense Ministry reiterated that within the framework of the Zapad 2025 exercise, the Northern Fleet rehearses defensive measures to protect coastal facilities and garrisons, demonstrates command and control over diverse force groups in their operational areas, and executes the comprehensive deployment of high-precision weaponry, modern military equipment, and advanced weapons systems. The primary objective of these naval groups is to safeguard Russia’s coastal infrastructure in the Arctic.