Russian subs outside Norway

Both “Severodvinsk” (Yasen class) and “Vepr” (Akula class) are armed with torpedoes and cruise missiles. The subs participated in the Navy Day Parade outside St. Petersburg on July 31st together with other warships from Russia’s Northern and Baltic fleets. 

Denmark’s Defense establishment monitored the heavily armed submarines as they sailed from the Baltic Sea to Skagerak earlier this week. The “Severodvinsk” was seen under the Great Belt Bridge on August 5th, while the “Vepr” came on August 6th. Also on Saturday, the Northern Fleet warship “Severomorsk” was seen sailing west under the Great Belt Bridge.

The frigate “Admiral Gorshkov” is expected later. Both the frigate and the Yasen-class “Severodvinsk” are armed with Russia’s new hypersonic cruise missile Tsirkon. 

The first group of vessels is Sunday in the North Sea where Norwegian military has an eye on their movements. 

“Severodvinsk” is sailing together with the large landing assault vessel “Ivan Gren”, the navy tug “Pamir” and the patrol vessel “Ladoga”.

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In previous years, Northern Fleet submarines and surface vessels participating in the main Navy Day Parade in St. Petersburg have conducted exercises on their way home, in the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea. 

In 2019, the pre-announced Russian naval exercise Ocean Shield in the Baltic Sea made a surprise move and expanded into Skagerak and the North Sea and included warships from several of Russia’s fleets, including the Northern Fleet. 

Last year, the Northern Fleet said they would conduct “tactical exercises” while sailing around Scandinavia. Little, however, happened as the submarines, including the Oscar-II class “Orel” sailed north towards the Kola Peninsula.