Keel laid for Russian Navy’s Yasen-M nuclear-powered submarine Murmansk

June 18, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

A keel-laying ceremony was held for the Russian Navy’s Yasen-M-class multipurpose nuclear-powered submarine Murmansk at Sevmash Shipyard, a part of United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), on June 17, 2026.

Representatives of the Russian Navy, government authorities, the USC, industrial enterprises, and the project’s design organization, USC’s Malakhit Design Bureau, attended the ceremony.

The name was assigned by order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev.

The ceremony officially marked the start of construction of the ninth submarine in the series of modernized Yasen-M multipurpose nuclear-powered submarines.

The lead boat, Kazan, was delivered to the Russian Navy in 2021. It was followed by three additional submarines of the class that have entered service: Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, and Arkhangelsk. Several more nuclear-powered submarines are currently under construction at various stages at the shipyard.

Project Yasen-M nuclear-powered submarines feature a reduced acoustic signature and are equipped with advanced strike and electronic warfare systems, enabling them to carry out missions in any region.

They are distinguished by enhanced stealth, automation, and firepower. The design incorporates numerous technical solutions that had not previously been used in Russian submarine construction.

USC Chief Executive Officer Andrey Puchkov noted that new contracts and the order backlog for the coming years guarantee a stable workload for the shipyard and a secure future, while also supporting fleet renewal and strengthening the country’s submarine forces.

“Together with the Ministry of Defense, USC continues to modernize the nation’s Navy and enhance the capabilities of our submarine forces. Your workforce has been entrusted with this critically important task. I am confident that you understand this trust must be justified,” Puchkov stated.

The nuclear-powered submarine Murmansk is named after the Hero City of Murmansk. The name was previously carried by the Soviet third-generation Project 949 nuclear submarine K-206, which was also built at Sevmash.

To remind, the Russian Navy welcomed the Yasen-M nuclear-powered submarine Arkhangelsk in December 2024.