Putin's newest submarine - designed to carry Poseidon doomsday weapon 'which can unleash tsunamis' - launches for the first time

By PERKIN AMALARAJ, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 09:18, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 09:22, 24 August 2026 Russia has quietly launched its latest submarine, which is capable of carrying the Poseidon doomsday weapons.  The Kremlin sent the nuclear submarine Khabarovsk off to sea trials in the White Sea with no fanfare last week.  The 10,000 ton submarine has been designed to carry up to six Poseidon nuclear torpedoes, on top of its ordinary anti-ship and land-attack missiles.  The Poseidon missiles are said to have a range of more than 6,000 miles and can dive as deep as 3,280ft. In theory, analysts say, an underwater blast created by Poseidon could drive a massive radioactive surge inland, sending huge tsunami waves that could devastate cities.  In recent days, Kremlin propagandists have called on Putin to launch the potentially deadly missile at the UK in retaliation for Britain's decision to supply Ukraine with drones that were used to strike Russian territory.  Vladimir Solovyov, a state TV presenter, said: 'Give the British three days to learn to breathe underwater, then hit them with Poseidon.'  When Putin confirmed a Poseidon test earlier this year, he said Russia had launched it from a submarine and then activated the reactor that powers it.  Your browser does not support iframes. The Khabarovsk submarine (pictured) is said to have cost £1billion  'There is nothing like this,' he told a group of military officials in 2025. 'There is no way to intercept it.' Some critics have said that Putin's claim that it is impossible to be intercepted cannot be verified.  But in nuclear strategy, perception is reality, and whether or not the system performs exactly as billed, its purpose is undeniable. It was developed as a response to the US's withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev declared that Poseidon can be considered a true 'doomsday weapon.'  Russian media commentators have suggested it could 'drown Britain.' Western analysts say such scenarios are likely exaggerated, but agree the concept itself is designed to terrify. It is said to be 20-24 metres long and about 2 metres in diameter. Some experts point out that generating a continent-sweeping radioactive tsunami is scientifically uncertain. But others note that uncertainty is the point.  If even a fraction of the horror described in Russian propaganda came to pass, coastal cities would be devastated, harbours contaminated, and land rendered toxic for years.  But experts told the Telegraph that though the threat appeared to be legitimate, it was unlikely Russia would ever use it in anger.  Dr Richard Connolly, an expert on Russian defence policy and an associate fellow at RUSI, said: 'Poseidon is what you might call a boutique capability. They are not making it in large numbers and it’s been designed for the very worst of scenarios. 'If they were to do what the Russian TV presenters are proposing, they’d face retaliation from Britain’s Trident nuclear deterrent. The 10,000 ton submarine has been designed to carry up to six Poseidon nuclear torpedoes 'So they wouldn’t do it, because they know they’d pay a price.' Meanwhile, the Khabarovsk submarine is said to have cost £1billion and has a 10,000-ton displacement.  The country's defence minister, Andrei Belousov, who oversaw the unveiling, said earlier this year: 'The heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Khabarovsk is being launched from the renowned Sevmash shipyard. 'Carrying underwater weapons and robotic systems, it will enable us to successfully secure Russia's maritime borders and protect its national interests in various parts of the world's oceans.'