Russian naval fleet heads to Cuba: A showcase of submarine 'Kazán'

As reported by the Associated Press, four Russian ships are heading towards Cuba. Among them is the nuclear-powered submarine "Kazán," one of the newest machines of this type in Russia's arsenal. According to Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ships will be in Havana between 12 and 17 June, and none of them carry nuclear weapons on board. Cuban authorities also ensure that their presence does not threaten the region. What capabilities does "Kazán" have?

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the four Russian ships are the frigate "Admiral Gorshkov," the nuclear-powered submarine "Kazán," the tanker "Akademik Pashin," and the rescue tug "Nikolay Chiker." The vessels will be stationed in the port of Havana, which is about 250 kilometres from Florida.

The "Kazán" submarine of Project 885M (Yasen-M) is a modernized version of Project 885 Yasen, a fourth-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine. The unit entered service in May 2021. In addition, Russia has a few other submarines of this type: "Severodvinsk," which entered service in 2014, and "Krasnoyarsk," which has been in service since 2022.

"Kazán" is a unit with a length of 120 metres, a width of 13 metres, and a displacement of about 15,400 tonnes. The submarine can dive to depths of up to 600 metres and operate autonomously for up to 100 days. Its exact technical specifications remain secret. However, it is known that the unit can carry 533 mm calibre torpedoes and Oniks, Kalibr, and Granat missiles, and a 64-person crew operates it.

Yasen-M submarines are the first Russian submarines equipped with the MGK-600 Irtysh-Amfora spherical sonar. These units are also very quiet, especially compared to other Russian submarines, which can reach speeds up to 65 kilometres per hour.