KRONSTADT (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd June, 2023) Russia's nuclear-powered submarine Belgorod, designed to carry nuclear-capable underwater drones Poseidon, will enter into service of the Russian Navy in 2023, Adm. Nikolai Evmenov, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian navy, told Sputnik on Thursday.�
Russia has two vessels capable of carrying Poseidon drones � experimental submarine Belgorod, which has been launched at the Sevmash shipyard, and standard nuclear-powered submarine Khabarovsk, which is being built at the same shipyard.�
"We will put it to use (Belgorod) this year, just as the president has said," Evmenov told Sputnik on the sidelines of the International Maritime Defense Show 2023 in the port town of Kronstadt.
Russian President Vladimir Putin first announced the development of Poseidon drones during his address to the Russian parliament in 2018. He said that such sea drones could be equipped with both conventional and nuclear weapons, which allows them to hit a wide range of targets, including aircraft carrier groups, coastal fortifications, and infrastructure.
