The US military has been monitoring a possible failed test of Russiaʼs new Poseidon nuclear-tipped torpedo, which was supposed to be tested by the Belgorod nuclear-powered submarine.
CNN writes about this with reference to an anonymous high-ranking official.
In recent weeks, the US has watched as the Russian Navy prepares to test a new nuclear torpedo at a test site in the seas of the Arctic Ocean, but the launch never took place. As a result, ships of the fleet and "Belgorod", which can launch unmanned underwater vehicles, including "Poseidon", returned to their permanent location.
US intelligence believes that the tests were not carried out due to technical difficulties. The US does not believe that the Russian Federation planned to detonate a nuclear device, but the tests were potentially dangerous, as a malfunction of the Poseidon nuclear propulsion system could carry risks of radiation contamination.
In the USA, they are sure that the Russian military industry is going through difficult times due to sanctions. It has an acute shortage of high-tech military components, which indicates the deplorable state of the Russian strategic fleet.
CNNʼs sources said Russia may try to conduct the test again, but probably not in the winter because the test site will soon be covered in ice.
- In 2018, Putin announced the development of the Poseidon nuclear submarine, which Russian propagandists call a "doomsday" torpedo. He said that this torpedo was "impossible to intercept." Russia has not officially announced the completion of development. Russian propaganda claims that Poseidon, if detonated, is capable of causing large-scale tsunamis that could destroy Great Britain or US coastal cities.