Russia to keep Dmitry Donskoy submarine in service

Russia's strategic nuclear submarine Dmitry Donskoy, which was modernized to conduct the tests of the new Bulava ICBM, will stay at the naval service. The submarine will take part in testing new submarines in Severodvinsk, Andrei Dyachkov, the general director of Sevmash Enterprise, where the submarine was made, said.

"The tests on board the Dmitry Donskoy are over. We considered an opportunity to decommission the sub. However, we later agreed with the Defense Ministry that the submarine would be stationed at the Belemorskaya (White Sea) naval base for assisting in the tests of the submarines that are currently being built," the official said.

"This includes the tests for the hydroacoustic station and military equipment. We need a second submarine for such tests. Previously, we had a submarine of the northern fleet arriving here for such purposes, but the sub would be withdrawn from its duty for that," Dyachkov added.

The general director of Sevmash Enterprise also said that the construction of the new Borei submarine had commenced. The enterprise also builds three other submarines of this class. They are Yury Dolgoruky, Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh.

The first multi-purpose nuclear-powered submarine Severodvinsk will be passed into service in Russia in 2012, Baltinfo said.