Stricken Russian Nuke Sub Crew Prevented 'Planetary Catastrophe'

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: Bloomberg

Politics

Stricken Russian Nuke Sub Crew Prevented 'Planetary Catastrophe'

By Henry Meyer and Stepan Kravchenko
July 8, 2019, 7:19 AM EDT

-- Top officer praises role of 14 dead sailors, Fontanka says
-- Russian authorities were slow to give information on accident

The 14 sailors who died during a fire last week on a nuclear-powered Russian military submarine prevented a "planetary catastrophe," a top naval officer said at their funeral, according to media reports. ... Captain Sergei Pavlov, an aide to the commander of Russia's navy, praised the heroism of the men, who died as they battled to stop the fire from spreading in the submersible. ... "With their lives, they saved the lives of their colleagues, saved the vessel and prevented a planetary catastrophe," he said at the funeral Sunday attended by the navy chief according to the Fontanka news service.
....

'Absolutely Classified'

Russian authorities had previously refused to say whether the country's worst naval incident in more than a decade involved a nuclear-powered vessel. They have also refused to say what type of craft was involved, with the Kremlin calling the information "absolutely classified." Neighboring Norway contacted Russia for more details though it said it hadn't detected any increased radiation levels.

The vessel is linked to a secret nuclear-submarine project known as Losharik, RBC news website reported. Russia said the sailors died from smoke inhalation after the fire started while the deep-water submersible was exploring the sea bed in its territorial waters. The craft was later taken to the Russian Northern Fleet's Severomorsk base on the Barents Sea coast.

The fire was Russia's most serious naval incident since 20 people died on a Nerpa nuclear submarine in 2008. The Losharik submarine can operate at a depth of 6,000 meters (20,000 feet), according to RBC. The craft reportedly was used to target undersea communications and other cables.
....

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-08/stricken-russian-nuke-sub-crew-prevented-planetary-catastrophe

---

Rick Wilson Retweeted

https://twitter.com/TheRickWilson?langen

BREAKING: Sailors who died fighting fire on a nuclear-powered Russian submarine last week averted a "planetary catastrophe," top naval officer says https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-08/stricken-russian-nuke-sub-crew-prevented-planetary-catastrophe ... via @bpolitics

Link to tweet

[Mach1miles]

1. This is so sad.

It is heartbreaking that so much effort is put into machines of war. For those who may haven given all to avoid disaster, I say thank you. My thoughts are with the survivors and the families of those lost.

[AtheistCrusader]

2. Given the number of naval reactors that have simply vanished into the seas over the years

with nary a burp from the oceans, one wonders what it is about this particular incident that had potential for 'planetary catastrophe'?

[pecosbob]

4. I kind of took that as an 'environmental' catastrophe

awkward translation perhaps?

[AtheistCrusader]

5. That would make sense.

[Igel]

12. It would make sense, in that it downplays the drama and fits with likely tech.

On the other hand, it would actually be wrong. (on edit: Given what was reported to have been said. I have no video of the funeral.)

The "high placed military personnel" that was at the funeral of the sailors who died said, "не допустили катастрофы планетарного масштаба."

A clumsy, overly parallel translation would be "did not permit a catastrophe of world-wide proportions to happen".

Peskov, somewhat later, (he's the chief Kremlin spokesfolk) said he didn't know if those word were said or, if they were, who said them. Otherwise he left it hanging, as far as I can tell. (But, to be honest, it's not worth a huge amount of time.) https://tsargrad.tv/news/katastrofa-planetarnogo-masshtaba-na-as-31-losharik-doshla-do-kremlja_207267

I side with the option of the twit who tweeted, "if these words weren't said for rhetorical effect" and assume that they were, in fact, not about the vaunted Putinesque atomic wonder-weapon (referred to in the tweet).

[bluewater]

9. ikr

Didn't VP Pence suddenly cancel a trip and return to Washington when this broke?

The responses seemed more intense that the "usual" nuclear submarine disaster.

The whole "research vessel" description of the incident fanned speculation too.

[pecosbob]

3. The New Cold War

I served in the first one...chasing Soviet Boomers. Good sailors...bad engineers, the Russians.

[czarjak]

6. What's a little radiation poisoning?

[Dorn]

7. I wonder if this is why Pence was called back to the Whitehouse last week

[global1]

8. Does Pence Have Any Interaction With Epstein?....nt

[Brainfodder]

10. KARMA?

Soft selling Russian spying and possible sabotage attempt gone wrong?

The finale of the Twilight Zone rolls on!

[yaesu]

11. history repeating itself, Soviet submarine K-19. nt

[saidsimplesimon]

13. Vlad has his echo chamber.

The fat man without a brain sitting constipated on an overflowing toilet. (I'm willing to bet that Vlad enjoys the image.)

[Farmer-Rick]

14. Seems to me Russia does Not have a good track record when dealing with nuclear reactors.

short little man Vlad just can't seem to get it right.

[bluedigger]

15. I should feel sad for these saboteurs in training ?

Regular Heroes of the Soviet Un...er, Russia are they.

[ancianita]

16. 'Planetary catastrophe' is a typical Russian PR move. We'll really never know, will we.

I don't believe their pretensions of truth telling. Ever.

[Sapient Donkey]

17. I feel bad for the sailors and their families.

I wonder if Russia will compensate the family's of the sailors. Who, in their words, prevented a catastrophe much worse.

[Marcuse]

18. !