**Tsunami Hits Russian Nuclear Submarine Base in Far East**
A powerful tsunami triggered by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake near Russia’s Kamchatka peninsula on July 30 has apparently hit the country’s nuclear submarine base in the Far East, according to satellite imagery published August 1.
The images taken by the Umbra Space satellite show a section of a pier at the Rybachiy naval base bent away from its original position, suggesting it may have been detached from its moorings. The base is home to the majority of Russia’s nuclear submarines in the Pacific Fleet, which play a crucial role in Moscow’s nuclear deterrence strategy.
**Concerns About Potential Damage**
While there is no evidence of damage to any submarines, experts are concerned about the potential impact on the base itself. “If the base assumption is that a wave got in there and bent that jetty then yes, what else did it do?” said Retired Royal Navy Commander Tom Sharpe.
Dr. Sidharth Kaushal, a research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), noted that the images suggest a surface ship was moored at the pier rather than a submarine, but added that it’s unclear how much damage the base may have sustained overall.
**Significance of the Base**
The Rybachiy naval base is critical to Russia’s military presence in the Pacific, with its nuclear submarines stationed closer to the United States than any other Russian vessels except those on forward deployment. The reported damage to the base comes just days before US President Donald Trump ordered two nuclear submarines to be deployed “to appropriate regions” in response to nuclear saber-rattling from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Trump said he gave the order due to Medvedev’s “foolish and inflammatory” remarks, which raised concerns about a potential nuclear conflict. The timing of the damage to the Russian base adds to the tension between Russia and the US.
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