Putin has another problem? Experts strike fear after looking at K‑278 submarine wreck

The Russian submarine K-278 Komsomolec has been resting at the bottom of the Norwegian Sea for over 30 years. The submarine raises concerns among experts due to the potential release of radioactive substances from its nuclear reactor or torpedoes. Experts from Russia and Norway noticed the problem already in 2019.

The titanium pride of the Soviet submarine fleet, the K-278 Komsomolec, sank off the coast of Norway in April 1989. A fire onboard was the cause of the catastrophe. This one-of-a-kind vessel went down with a mighty set of weapons. Its armory consisted of standard torpedoes, radio-controlled torpedoes, possibly, 10 RK-55 Granat medium-range cruise missiles, capable of hitting targets approximately 932 miles away, as well as supercavitating VA-111 Shkval torpedoes equipped with nuclear warheads. It is these last items that have been causing concern among experts for years, who warn that radioactive substances may leak from the wreckage of the K-278 Komsomolec.

The ship, considered one of the most valuable in the Soviet navy fleet and one of the first submarines with a titanium hull, has been resting at the bottom of the Norwegian Sea for 30 years, in one of the richest fishing areas in the world. As IFL Science notes, over time the hull of the ship and the casings protecting the nuclear weapons it transported, have corroded due to the effect of seawater. This has led to the release of radioactive materials.

In 2019, researchers from Russia and Norway collected samples of seawater near the wreckage of the K-278 Komsomolec. They also revealed that some of these samples had an approximately 800,000 times higher radiation level than normal in the Norwegian Sea. As explained by IFL Science, these were samples containing radioactive cesium, taken from the ventilation shaft of the sunken ship using a remotely controlled submersible vehicle - Egir 600.

It's uncertain whether the pollution came from the nuclear reactor of the submarine, or from its torpedoes. However, it's worth noting that other samples taken at that time didn't show anything suspicious. Experts have also agreed that there is no need to alarm about potential dangers at the moment. However, they emphasized the need for continuous monitoring of the sunken submarine and the water around it.

The results of studies revealed in 2019, however, raise questions about the short and long-term impact of the emission of radioactive substances from the wreck located at the bottom of the Norwegian Sea. Especially since the problem of wrecks releasing various kinds of pollutants is much wider.

According to an analysis by the Supreme Audit Office from 2019, there are approximately 300 wrecked ships at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Nearly 100 of them are located in the Bay of Gdansk. Fuel is leaking from some of them. The SAO also emphasizes that near the Gdansk Deep there may be "at least several dozen tons of ammunition and chemical weapons (CW), including one of the most dangerous, sulfur mustard". The threat is progressing corrosion, which may contribute to the release of larger amounts of dangerous material directly into sea waters.