A RUSSIAN submarine capable of carrying nuclear weapons suffered a “serious accident” in the Mediterranean, according to reports.
Fuel is now said to be leaking from Putin’s 242ft Kilo-class submarine Novorossiysk – creating an “explosive hazard”.
East2WestThe Novorossiysk diesel-electric attack submarine (file image)[/caption]
East2WestThe sub is designed to carry nuclear-capable Kalibr missiles[/caption]
Royal Navy Russian submarine Novorossiysk sails in front of the Royal Navy’s RFA Tidesurge[/caption]
The submarine was reportedly spotted surfaced in the Strait of Gibraltar yesterday.
Russia Telegram channel VChk-OGPU – which has links to spooks and other insiders with more than 330,000 subscribers – reported that fuel is accumulating in the hold and the sub is at risk of explosion.
The crew may have no choice but to pump out the hold directly into the sea, the report added.
It read: “Novorossiysk, currently on combat duty in the Mediterranean Sea, is experiencing serious technical problems.
“Due to damage in the fuel system, fuel is leaking directly into the hold.
“There are no spare parts for repairs or qualified specialists on the submarine, and the crew is unable to fix the malfunctions.
“The serious accident has caused other problems as well.
“The accumulated fuel in the hold is an explosive hazard.
“The source believes the crew has no choice but to start ‘pumping out the hold’ directly into the sea.”
The diesel-electric attack submarine is designed to carry nuclear-capable Kalibr missiles.
It carries a crew of 52 people and can stay underwater for 45 days.
The Royal Navy shadowed the submarine after it appeared in the English Channel in January.
A Royal Navy nuclear submarine was forced to surface next to that same vessel back in November to ward it off, as revealed by Defence Secretary John Healey to parliament yesterday.
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