Russian sub causing nuclear headache in Denmark

An elderly Russian nuclear submarine is to pass Denmark on its way to St Petersburg later in the year

This summer, a giant Russian typhoon-class nuclear submarine, 172 metres in length, is expected to pass Denmark.

The submarine will depart from Russia, pass Norway and then sail into the North Sea and the Skagerrak, onwards into the Baltic, where it will finally dock in St Petersberg, the Barents Observer writes.

READ ALSO: Russian tanker aimed for Denmark still in Swedish waters

The sub will pass underneath the Øresund Bridge as the water is not deep enough by the Great Belt Bridge or at Flintreden.

All the preparations are underway, and now all that is needed is the signature of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

No nukes, please!
The submarine was built in 1981 and has the capacity to carry up to 20 missiles and 200 nuclear warheads at a time. However, nowadays it is used as a test platform for ballistic missiles and is based in the town of Severodvinsk in western Russia.

The age of the vessel might be cause for concern, though, according to Norwegian atomic physicist Nils Bøhmer.

“I’m worried when a 40-year-old atomic submarine with a relatively large reactor aboard sails along the Norwegian coast and into the Baltic,” he told Barents Observer.

“The authorities have to know the exact time of its voyage in order to be prepared. It is also vital to ensure there are not atomic weapons on board.”




  • Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    A Wall Street Journal article describes that the US will now begin spying in Greenland. This worries the Danish foreign minister, who wants an explanation from the US’s leading diplomat. Greenlandic politicians think that Trump’s actions increase the sense of insecurity

  • Diplomacy meets Westeros: a dinner with the King, Queen – and Jaime Lannister

    Diplomacy meets Westeros: a dinner with the King, Queen – and Jaime Lannister

    What do King Frederik X, Queen Mary, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and Jaime Lannister have in common? No, this isn’t the start of a very specific Shakespeare-meets-HBO fanfiction — it was just Wednesday night in Denmark

  • Huge boost to halt dropouts from vocational education

    Huge boost to halt dropouts from vocational education

    For many years, most young people in Denmark have preferred upper secondary school (Gymnasium). Approximately 20 percent of a year group chooses a vocational education. Four out of 10 young people drop out of a vocational education. A bunch of millions aims to change that

  • Beloved culture house saved from closure

    Beloved culture house saved from closure

    At the beginning of April, it was reported that Kapelvej 44, a popular community house situated in Nørrebro, was at risk of closing due to a loss of municipality funding

  • Mette Frederiksen: “If you harm the country that is hosting you, you shouldn’t be here at all”

    Mette Frederiksen: “If you harm the country that is hosting you, you shouldn’t be here at all”

    With reforms to tighten the rules for foreigners in Denmark without legal residency, and the approval of a reception package for internationals working in the care sector, internationals have been under the spotlight this week. Mette Frederiksen spoke about both reforms yesterday.

  • Tolerated, but barely: inside Denmark’s departure centers

    Tolerated, but barely: inside Denmark’s departure centers

    Currently, around 170 people live on “tolerated stay” in Denmark, a status for people who cannot be deported but are denied residency and basic rights. As SOS Racisme draws a concerning picture of their living conditions in departure centers, such as Kærshovedgård, they also suggest it might be time for Denmark to reinvent its policies on deportation

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.