Moscow — Retired Russian Admiral 2000 Kursk submarine disaster This is an unproven claim that was caused by a collision with a NATO submarine and violates the official conclusion that the worst post-Soviet naval catastrophe was caused by a torpedo failure.
Retired Admiral Vyacheslav Popov, commander of the Russian Northern Fleet when the Kursk exploded and sank during a Navy operation Barents Sea, In an interview released on Monday, was accused of accidentally hitting a NATO submarine while casting a shadow on Kursk at close range.
Popov told the state’s RIA Novosti news agency that the western submarine was also damaged by a powerful explosion and sent a distress signal from the area. He did not identify the submarine and admitted that there was no evidence to support his claim.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Popov’s allegations, pointing out an official investigation that concluded that the explosive propellant leaked from a defective torpedo caused the catastrophe.
Condemned for his slow and tremendous reaction to the catastrophe as the head of the Northern Fleet, Popov had previously claimed a clash, but his latest statement was more frank and detailed.
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According to Russian media reports, two US submarines and one British submarine were found in the area near the Russian Navy’s exercises in the Barents Sea during the Kursk disaster.
Kursk sank on August 12, 2000, after being hit by two powerful explosions. Most of the 118 crew members died instantly, but the submarine sank about 350 feet (108 meters) below the surface of the sea, allowing 23 to escape to the rear compartment and wait there. Ask for help.
The confused Russian Navy commander wasted hours before the search began, authorities declined offers to help the West, stubbornly sent small Russian submarines, and repeated futile attempts to hook them into the submarine’s escape hatch. rice field. A week later, Russia finally invited Norwegian divers and it took only a few hours to open the hatch, but by then it was too late to save anyone.
After the catastrophe, some Navy officials said the crew who survived the blast could have lived for three days, but investigators finally said they were all within eight hours of the blast. He concluded that he died of carbon monoxide poisoning. ..
The failure of the government to respond to rescue efforts shook the country and damaged President Vladimir Putin’s fame.
The wreckage of Kursk was lifted in October 2001, and investigators were able to retrieve 115 bodies and look for clues to the cause in the broken hull.