Two nuclear submarines - the strategic Alexander III and the multipurpose Krasnoyarsk - have been handed over to the Russian Navy, a source in the military-industrial complex told Sputnik.
"The acceptance documents on the transfer to the fleet of two submarines Alexander III and Krasnoyarsk, which were built at Sevmash, have been signed. The official flag-raising ceremony on the two nuclear-powered missile carriers will take place after December 10," the source said.
According to the source, a ship is considered to have been accepted into the Navy's combat service only after the St. Andrew's Navy flag is hoisted on it.
"Technically, the ships have been handed over," the source noted.
Yesterday, the fifth submarine of the Yasen-M project, the Arkhangelsk, was launched at the Sevmash shipyard. Presently, the Navy has three Yasen project submarines, namely Severodvinsk (code 885), Kazan (code 885M), and Novosibirsk (code 885M), all equipped with Oniks and Kalibr missiles. Furthermore, these submarines will soon be armed with Zircon hypersonic missiles.