No Russian nuclear-powered submarines will be taking part in Navy Day.

According to information published by the UK MoD on July 14, 2023, in a surprising turn of events, the nuclear-powered submarines of Russia's Northern Fleet will abstain from participating in the grand Navy Day fleet review in St Petersburg.
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The Russian Navy's Akula-class submarine Kuzbass, used in a previous edition of Navy Day. (Picture source: Russian MoD)

This will be the first time since the inception of the present Navy Day format in 2017 that no nuclear-powered submarines are partaking in the event. The shift in approach seems primarily driven by the need for ongoing maintenance and the desire to keep these vessels available for operational duties and training exercises.

Moreover, there's a plausible chance that recent internal security concerns, precipitated by the attempted mutiny by the Wagner Group, might have played a role in this unexpected decision.

Russian Navy's nuclear-powered submarines

The Russian Fleet boasts an lineup of nuclear-powered submarines. Among the notable ones are nuclear attack submarines, cruise missile submarines, and ballistic missile submarines, each designed for specific combat and strategic roles.

Nuclear attack submarines are characterized by their high speed, stealth, and firepower. They include classes such as Sierra II, Victor III, and Akula.

The Sierra II class submarines, Nizhny Novgorod (K-336) and Pskov (K-534), were commissioned in 1990 and 1993 respectively, each with a displacement of 9,100 tons.

They operate within the Northern Fleet. The Akula class submarines, on the other hand, range from the early 971 series like Pantera (K-317) and Magadan (K-331) commissioned in 1990, to the 971I series like Kuzbass (K-419) commissioned in 1992, and Nerpa (K-152) commissioned in 2009, with a displacement of 12,770 tons.

Cruise missile submarines provide long-range strike capability. These include the Oscar II class, with vessels like Irkutsk (K-132), Chelyabinsk (K-442), and Smolensk (K-410) which were commissioned between 1988 and 1990, each with a displacement of 19,400 tons.

The newer Yasen class, with vessels like Severodvinsk (K-560) and Kazan (K-561), are commissioned in 2014 and 2021 respectively, with a displacement of 13,800 tons.

Ballistic Missile Submarines serve as the backbone of Russia's strategic nuclear deterrent. These include the Delta III and Delta IV classes, such as Ryazan (K-44) and Verkhoturye (K-51), commissioned in 1982 and 1984, with displacements of 13,700 tons and 18,200 tons respectively.

They also include the Borei class submarines like Yuriy Dolgorukiy (K-535), Aleksandr Nevskiy (K-550), and Knyaz Oleg (K-552) which were commissioned between 2013 and 2021, with a displacement of 24,000 tons.