Kazan back in Zaozersk

The Kazan (K-561) was supposed to be on display at the Main Naval Parade in St. Petersburg on Sunday, July 28. For one reason or another, the part of the parade supposed to include Northern Fleet warships and submarines was canceled and the Kazan sailed north along the coast of Norway instead of entering the Baltic Sea. 

On Saturday, July 20th, the heavily armed Yasen-class multi-purpose submarine surfaced in the Motovsky Bay on the coast to the Barents Sea and was met by two navy tugs. The vessels could be seen on the satellite image from Sentinel as they sailed into the Zapadnaya Litsa fjord. 

Inside the circle, the Kazan is escorted by two navy tugs towards the piers in Bolshaya Lopatka in Zapadnaya Litsa. Photo from Sentinel satellite

Normally, the Yasen subs dock at Nerpitcha, the part of the base where the infamous Typhoon-class submarines used to stay during the 1980ties and early 90ties. On Saturday, however, the Kazan went to Bolshaya Lopatka, the piers closer to the navy town Zaozersk. This is also the basing point for the two remaining Oscar-II class subs Orel and Smolensk. 

The crew was welcomed home by Northern Fleet commander Konstantin Kabantsov, family members and other officials from Zaozersk, the closed navy city a short 60 kilometers from Russia’s border to Norway.

The Kazen docking to the pier in Zapadnaya Litsa with Northern Fleet officials, family of the crew and others waiting in a welcoming ceremony. Photo: Administration of Zaozersk / Vk

Russia has four Yasen-class submarines in active service, of which two are sailing for the Northern Fleet and two are with the Pacific Fleet.

Five more are under construction at the Sevmash yard in Severodvinsk, and yet another three are announced, but their building has not started.

Yasen is 4th generation nuclear-powered multi-purpose submarines and carries a set of anti-ship and land-attack cruise missiles, in addition to torpedoes and surface-to-air missiles. 

Welcoming the Kazan home, the Northern Fleet commander Konstantin Kabantsov handed over a roasted pig to the crew. Photo: Administration of Zaozersk / Vk

The visit to Havana by the Kazan is first time a Russian nuclear-powered submarine has made a port call to Cuba.