VLADIVOSTOK, October 12 (AVN) - The Pacific fleet still did not receive any orders from the Navy Staff concerning the further use of the navy base in the Pavlovsky Bay of the Strelok Gulf, a source in the fleet headquarters told the Military News Agency.
The 26th division of nuclear submarines stationed there was disbanded in accordance with the order of the General Staff of May this year. It was planned to decide upon handover or scrapping of the technical installations there till September. But it was not done.
The coastal installations of the 26th division were temporarily handed to the Maritime mixed flotilla. But the unique equipment designed for servicing nuclear submarines are going out of order.
The division was formed 40 years ago, when the USSR started to create its nuclear fleet. The 4th nuclear submarine flotilla was set in 1978 and comprised the 26th division. There are special hideouts in the cliffs for SSBNs to take shelter there during nuclear strikes.
The flotilla was disbanded in mid 1990s and later the division also ceased its existence. According to the source, the main problem is about the over 10 written-off submarines in the Pavlovsky Bay. Many of them are out of order. For instance, there is the K-431 submarine, which was in the largest Navy nuclear accident in August of 1985. The submarine was being repaired in the Dunai village. While the specialists were conducting recharge of the two power plants' active zones and checking the pressure, the reactor's cover came off. Eight officers and two sailors were killed by the consequent explosion. Their contaminated bodies were cremated and buried in 15 metres thick concrete. The submarine was towed to the Pavlovsky Bay, which turned out to be cemetery of nuclear submarines.