Breaking News: Russian Navy's Submarine "Krasnoyarsk" Successfully Launches Kalibr Cruise Missile Over 1,100 km.

During scheduled naval exercises in the Pacific Ocean, the Russian Navy's nuclear-powered missile submarine Krasnoyarsk successfully demonstrated its long-range strike capabilities by launching a Kalibr cruise missile at a coastal target located at the Kura test site on the Kamchatka Peninsula, achieving a direct hit from a distance of more than 1,100 kilometers. This achievement was officially reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense on April 28, 2025, underscoring the growing reach and precision of Russia's strategic submarine forces.
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Russian Navy’s nuclear-powered submarine Krasnoyarsk launches a Kalibr cruise missile during Pacific Ocean exercises, striking a coastal target over 1,100 km away. (Picture source: Russian MoD)

The Russian Navy Krasnoyarsk Project 885M "Yasen-M" class submarine executed a covert transition into a designated area of the Pacific Ocean before conducting the Kalibr cruise missile launch. This maneuver showcased the submarine's stealth characteristics, enabling it to operate undetected over vast distances before delivering a precision strike. The Kalibr missile, launched from a submerged position, accurately struck the designated coastal target, with objective control data confirming the effectiveness of the operation. The success of the strike highlights Russia’s ability to conduct strategic, long-range attacks from beneath the ocean’s surface, reinforcing the importance of cruise-missile-armed submarines in modern naval warfare.

Following the strike, the Krasnoyarsk participated in the second phase of the exercises, which simulated an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operation. During this phase, the submarine conducted a search for a simulated enemy submarine and successfully engaged it using a missile-torpedo system. According to the Ministry of Defense, the warhead of the missile-torpedo precisely struck the simulated underwater target, demonstrating the Krasnoyarsk’s dual-capability for both land-attack and anti-submarine missions. These exercises validated the submarine’s combat readiness, versatility, and its crucial role in securing Russia’s maritime defense perimeter.

Admiral Alexander Moiseyev, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy, congratulated the crew for their successful execution of the exercises, praising their operational skills and the submarine's performance. His recognition emphasized the importance of the Krasnoyarsk in enhancing the Pacific Fleet’s offensive and defensive capabilities.

The Krasnoyarsk is the second unit of the Project 885M "Yasen-M" class, Russia’s latest generation of nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines, built by the Sevmash shipyard. Accepted into service in December 2023, Krasnoyarsk represents a significant advancement over previous designs. The Yasen-M class is characterized by improved stealth features, more powerful sensors, and a reduced acoustic signature, making it one of the quietest submarines in the world. It is equipped with eight vertical launch system (VLS) silos capable of firing Kalibr cruise missiles, Oniks supersonic anti-ship missiles, and the future hypersonic Zircon missiles, giving it a wide range of strike options against land, sea, and underwater targets. Additionally, the submarine boasts ten torpedo tubes capable of launching torpedoes, anti-submarine missiles, and naval mines, ensuring formidable multi-domain warfare capabilities.

The Kalibr cruise missile, specifically the submarine-launched variant used during these exercises, is a versatile, long-range cruise missile capable of carrying conventional or nuclear warheads. It is designed for high-precision strikes against land targets, enemy ships, and submarines. With a range exceeding 1,500 kilometers in some configurations, Kalibr missiles allow Russian submarines to project power far beyond their immediate operational areas. When launched from submerged submarines like the Krasnoyarsk, the Kalibr significantly complicates enemy detection and response, providing Russia with a potent first-strike or retaliatory strike capability.

In September 2024, the Krasnoyarsk completed a remarkable inter-fleet transition by navigating the Northern Sea Route, moving from the Northern Fleet to its new operational base with the Pacific Fleet. This strategic redeployment strengthened Russia's military posture in the Asia-Pacific region, positioning one of its most advanced submarines in an area of increasing strategic competition. The successful live-fire exercise by Krasnoyarsk marks a new milestone for the operational readiness of the Project 885M submarines and demonstrates Russia’s continued investment in strengthening its undersea deterrent forces.

The strategic implications of this exercise are significant for NATO and the United States. The demonstration of a 1,100-kilometer precision strike capability from a stealthy, nuclear-powered submarine poses a serious challenge to Western maritime and homeland defense strategies. Project 885M submarines, with their ability to operate quietly across vast oceanic areas while remaining hidden from traditional detection systems, could threaten critical infrastructure, military installations, and carrier strike groups without warning. The integration of Kalibr cruise missiles means that cities, ports, and bases on NATO’s periphery could be targeted from stand-off ranges, reducing the reaction time for defensive systems.

Furthermore, the deployment of such advanced submarines to the Pacific Fleet strengthens Russia’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region, increasing the pressure on U.S. forces operating in the Pacific and complicating the strategic balance with China and other regional powers. For NATO navies, the need to invest more in anti-submarine warfare capabilities, intelligence gathering, and forward early-warning systems becomes more urgent in light of Russia’s growing underwater threat.