The Russian army boasts of the capabilities of its new submarine “Belgorod”. Capable of launching nuclear torpedoes 10,000 kilometers offshore, it is used by Moscow as the ultimate weapon in its war against Ukraine, but also against the West.
It is one of the new weapons Moscow is using to accelerate its offensive in Ukraine. Commissioned in early July, the Belgorod submarine has frightening capabilities and stands with Kremlin propaganda as the ultimate Russian weapon, like the Avangard ICBM presented by Putin as “invincible”.
This time, Russia’s rampant arms race in the seas and oceans continues. With the nuclear submarine K-329, called “Belgorod“, Vladimir Putin can boast of owning the longest submarine in the world: 184 meters long.
Unique nuclear torpedoes
A new threat to Ukraine as it is capable of carrying and firing nuclear-capable Poseidon megatorpedoes. As US naval analyst and submarine expert HI Sutton points out, these torpedoes are “unique in human history”.
Le Parisien states that these torpedoes a almost unlimited autonomy. With its 24 m length, 2 in diameter and its 100 tons on the scales, the “Poseidon” would have a range of 10,000 kilometers “and could theoretically cause Tsunamis of terrifying proportions by attacking the enemy coast”.
A propaganda tool
A frightening arsenal that the Russians know how to use as a propaganda tool. “This submarine has a media function above all, we do not know its nuclear capacity, whether it is a prototype or whether it is operational at all,” admits General Dominique Trinquand, former head of mission in the French military, to our colleagues at the United Nations . “It is neither more nor less than a new deterrent weapon in the Russian arsenal”.
The Belgorod offers Russia new opportunities to conduct various studies, scientific expeditions and rescue operations in the most remote areas of the world – Nikolai Evmenov, Admiral of the Russian Navy, presenting the Belgorod.
Vincent Groizeleau, editor-in-chief of Mer et Marine, a medium specializing in maritime news, specifies that if they wish, “the Russians can position this submarine and its drones off the American coast, for example, and they can do so out of the reach of the means of location in order to have the enemy almost permanently in view”.
“Special Missions”
This submarine is also presented as capable of performing “special missions”. In addition to a menacing and deterrent position, it can deploy smaller submarines, capable, for example, of performing sabotage missions such as cutting telecommunications or power cables underwater.
A potential threat for European countries, especially this winter when the energy crisis is confirmed. According to several experts, “Belgorod”, the name of a Russian city near the border with Ukraine, could find its way into the waters of the Atlantic.