A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 that struck Russia’s Far East last month seems to have damaged the Russian nuclear submarine base, according to the New York Times, citing satellite imagery‘Planet Labs,’ a commercial satellite imaging firm, from Sunday showed damage to a floating pier at the Rybachiy submarine base, a crucial Pacific Fleet installation on the Kamchatka peninsula. One pier section had become disconnected from its moorings.The facility appeared largely intact, with five submarines and other vessels safely moored nearby. Neither Russian officials nor media have addressed the damage, whilst international nuclear monitoring organisations report normal radiation levels in the vicinity.The base has undergone recent upgrades, with two new floating piers installed since Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion, according to military sources.Constructed during the Soviet era, the base’s location in a sheltered cove provides natural protection from severe maritime conditions.Whilst most piers remain functional, tsunami waves from the earthquake affected one structure.The Conflict Intelligence Team told “The New York Times” that “This is unlikely to affect the battle readiness of the base — and repairs for the pier are probably not going to be costly.”On July 30, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the region, generating substantial tsunami waves along the Pacific Coast and triggering worldwide alerts. The epicentre was approximately 80 miles from Rybachiy.The base shares its bay with Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, which sustained minimal damage.Whilst tsunami waves were observed offshore, they did not reach the city centre.Both the submarine base and Rybachiy town maintain strict security protocols limiting public access.Following Ukrainian drone strikes on distant targets including an eastern Siberian airfield, Russia relocated certain military assets eastward this summer.The Kamchatka region experienced multiple seismic events last week, including a significant earthquake, subsequent aftershocks and volcanic activity.
