Russia’s Project 09851 Khabarovsk special-purpose nuclear submarine is expected to enter service with the Russian Navy in the near future. Retired Navy Captain First Rank and military expert Vasily Dandykin has outlined the vessel’s capabilities and its role in deploying Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drones.

Earlier, Vladimir Maltsev, head of the All-Russian Movement for Fleet Support, identified the Belgorod and Khabarovsk nuclear submarines as potential carriers of Poseidon underwater vehicles.

According to Maltsev, these systems are designed to strike naval formations and coastal infrastructure. He also claimed that a Poseidon detonation could potentially generate waves reaching heights of up to 200 meters.

The Khabarovsk’s defining feature is its ability to carry Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicles powered by nuclear reactors. Reports indicate that the submarine can accommodate up to six such systems.

The vessel was rolled out of the construction hall at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk on November 1, 2025. It became the first purpose-built carrier of nuclear-powered Poseidon underwater vehicles.

Dandykin emphasized that Khabarovsk is the first submarine of a planned series specifically designed to deploy this weapon. He suggested that the Russian Navy could eventually receive two additional submarines of the same type.

In his assessment, establishing a group of three such vessels would send a significant signal to Russia’s potential adversaries.

The expert also discussed the development of the Poseidon system, noting reports that its testing program is approaching completion.

Dandykin described Poseidon as a distinctive underwater drone rather than a conventional torpedo. According to him, its nuclear propulsion system allows it to travel extremely long distances while carrying a warhead with a yield of several megatons.

He further claimed that Russia’s potential adversaries currently possess no comparable underwater weapon system.