Russia Says Pacific Fleet Submarine Generalissimus Suvorov Fired Bulava Missile From Sea of Okhotsk

The Pacific Fleet ballistic-missile submarine Generalissimus Suvorov launched a Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile from a submerged position in the Sea of Okhotsk, the Russian Ministry of Defence said in a statement posted on its official Telegram channel on October 28. The ministry said the launch was carried out "in accordance with the combat training plan" and that the missile's warheads "arrived in the designated area of the range at the estimated time."

The statement described Generalissimus Suvorov as a "strategic nuclear-powered missile cruiser," the Russian designation for its ballistic-missile submarines. The ministry did not name the range where the warheads came down and gave no further detail on the flight.

The Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces project, which tracks Russia's nuclear forces, wrote in a blog post on October 28 that the designated area was "almost certainly" the Chizha test range on the Kanin Peninsula in northwestern Russia. According to the project, Russia posted notices to airmen on October 25 covering a window of October 25 to 31, and it also notified the United States, which the project says deployed RC-135S aircraft to observe the launch.

The launch was Generalissimus Suvorov's second Bulava firing, the project said. The first took place in November 2022, from the White Sea to the Kura test range on Kamchatka, during the submarine's acceptance trials; the boat joined the Pacific Fleet in October 2023. Bulava launches from Pacific-based submarines are rare, according to the project, which cited a four-missile salvo in December 2020 and a launch from Knyaz Oleg in October 2024 as the previous examples.

Generalissimus Suvorov is one of eight active Borey-class (Project 955/955A) submarines, according to GlobalMilitary.net's inventory of the Russian Navy. Five serve with the Pacific Fleet: Aleksandr Nevskiy, Vladimir Monomakh, Knyaz Oleg, Generalissimus Suvorov and Imperator Aleksandr III. Three serve with the Northern Fleet: Yuriy Dolgorukiy, Knyaz Vladimir and Knyaz Pozharsky. A further boat, Knyaz Potemkin, is fitting out for the Northern Fleet. The Pacific boats are based at Vilyuchinsk on Kamchatka. The Northern Fleet boats are based at Gadzhiyevo on the Kola Peninsula.

Each Borey carries 16 Bulava missiles, so the five Pacific boats account for 80 of the 128 Bulava tubes on active Boreys, GMN figures show. Russia's five active Delta IV ballistic-missile submarines, an older class, all serve with the Northern Fleet. GMN's database lists the Bulava's range as 9,500 km.

The Federation of American Scientists estimates Russia's nuclear inventory at 5,420 warheads, of which an estimated 1,796 are deployed. Both figures are estimates rather than declared totals.

For comparison, the US Navy operates 14 active Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines, each with 20 Trident II D5 tubes, according to GMN data.

The Pacific Fleet holds the majority of Russia's Bulava tubes, while the Northern Fleet retains the older Delta IV force alongside its three Boreys, a split that places most of Russia's newest sea-based missiles on the Kamchatka side of the country.