Early Wednesday morning, July 30, a powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. The quake triggered a tsunami that spread across the Pacific Ocean and was particularly worrisome because its epicenter was just 75 miles (120 kilometers) from Vilyuchinsk, the main base for Russia’s Pacific Fleet nuclear submarines. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, it was the sixth-strongest earthquake ever recorded.
In addition to waves up to five meters high that hit the eastern coast of Russia, there was also significant damage to infrastructure - cracks in roads, damaged buildings and ports, as well as the eruption of the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano.
Particular attention is paid to Avachin Bay, which is home to major Russian naval bases, including Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and Rybachy, where the Borei and Borei-A class strategic nuclear submarines, equipped with Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, are located.
Images show damage to the pier in Ribaci
New satellite images published by The Telegraph, taken using SAR technology from Umbra Space, have revealed damage to one of the piers at the Rybachy base. Part of the pier is visibly bent and displaced from its base, suggesting it may have broken free from its moorings.
It appears that a surface ship, rather than a submarine, was anchored in place at the time of the impact, reducing the potential military implications of the incident.
However, experts warn that the question arises whether the tsunami caused additional damage to parts of the base or to ships that were being repaired. In addition to being the logistics center of the Russian submarine fleet in the Pacific, the Ribachiy base also includes missile loading facilities, dry docks and piers with special infrastructure.
Older satellite images from July 17 show the submarine moored at a damaged pier, but later images after the earthquake show only two ships, a surface ship and a submarine at another pier. Experts say there is no clear sign that the submarines suffered direct damage. However, the waves can be devastating to ships with open systems during repairs, as well as to the base's infrastructure.
Former British Royal Navy commander Tom Sharpe commented that the damaged pier is now "badly warped", which could make it difficult for ships to dock. A tugboat has also been seen near the damaged section, suggesting that repairs are underway.
Moscow is silent.
As has happened before, Russian authorities have not yet released details about the condition of the base or the possible consequences for the naval fleet. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said only that " the durability of the buildings and alarm systems prevented casualties ," without mentioning military infrastructure.
Although a Russian navy veteran told The War Zone newspaper that he had not heard of any serious injuries, the incident reopened the issue of storing military equipment in one place.
" That's why it's important to have multiple bases, you never know when something unexpected will happen to you ," commented Sharpe, also noting the poor construction of a section of the scaffolding that, as he said, " looked like it had been glued together ."
This incident comes at a time when the Russian Navy is experiencing serious losses in the Black Sea, where it is increasingly exposed to Ukrainian attacks. Although there is currently no official data on damage to the submarine, the earthquake and tsunami have once again shown the vulnerability of the Russian military infrastructure. (A2 Televizion)
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