According to satellite images released on Friday (August 1), a nuclear submarine base in Russia’s Far East region appears to have been damaged during a powerful tsunami on Wednesday (July 30). The location serves as the main base for the Russian Pacific Fleet’s nuclear submarines and is also the closest Russian submarine base to the United States.
The satellite images show that a section of the base’s pier structure has visibly bent and shifted from its original position, raising questions from the public about whether there are other damages to the facility.
On Wednesday, an earthquake measuring 8.8 magnitude struck off the coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, about 75 miles (approximately 120 kilometers) from the Rybachiy base. It seems that the base was hit by the tsunami within 15 minutes of the earthquake occurring.
Satellite images taken by Umbra Space the following morning showed that a portion of the pier structure had shifted from its original position, likely due to the impact of the waves, causing it to detach from its fixed point. While the damage to the structure itself may have limited military impact, the overall extent of damage to the base remains unclear.
At the time of the incident, there were two Yasen-class nuclear-powered submarines docked at the base, but there is currently no evidence to suggest that these submarines were damaged.
Dr. Sidharth Kaushal, a researcher at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, noted to The Telegraph that it appears a surface vessel was docked at the pier at the time, rather than a submarine, which is worth noting. The confirmed damage so far is limited to the pier, which may not significantly affect the overall operations of the base.
However, retired Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe raised concerns that if the waves were strong enough to distort the pier structure, it could lead to other damages.
“If we assume that the waves did indeed cause an impact and distort this section of the pier, what else did it do?” he said.
Sharpe suggested that submarines could have been damaged by violent collisions with the pier or flooding of the compartments, especially those vessels undergoing repairs and unable to sail.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that the authorities in the Kamchatka region were well-prepared for the earthquake. He mentioned that the warning system was promptly activated, residents were quickly evacuated from the danger zones, ensuring no casualties in the region and demonstrating good resilience of the buildings against the earthquake impact.
Repair work appears to have already begun, as satellite images show a tugboat operating near the damaged pier.
Analysts predict that the Russian Navy will reassess the construction standards of the Rybachiy base’s pier and may undertake updates to reduce vulnerabilities in the future.