Arkhangelsk launches anti-ship missile in the Barents Sea

A large area stretching north of the Varanger Peninsula and eastwards into the Barents Sea was temporarily closed to civilian shipping and air traffic while Russia's multi-purpose Yasen-M class submarine, Arkhangelsk (K-564), carried out the launch from a submerged position.

According to the Northern Fleet's press service in Severomorsk, the missile travelled approximately 200 kilometres before successfully striking its target at sea.

"As part of planned combat training, the Northern Fleet's nuclear-powered missile submarine Arkhangelsk fired an Oniks cruise missile from a submerged position at a naval target simulating an enemy surface vessel located more than 200 kilometres away," the press service said in a statement.

The information has not been independently verified.

On both Tuesday and Wednesday, a Swedish Air Force Gulfstream IV aircraft specialising in signals intelligence (SIGINT) and electronic intelligence (ELINT) collection flew missions as far north as Finland's border with Norway.

The aircraft did not enter Norwegian airspace, however, as Oslo continues to uphold its self-imposed restrictions on allied intelligence-gathering flights operating near Russia's Kola Peninsula.

The Barents Observer has contacted the Norwegian Ministry of Defence for comment on the matter but had not received an answer by the time of publication.

A similar Oniks anti-ship missile was launched in the same area of the Barents Sea in mid-March. On that occasion, the launch was carried out by the Yasen-M class submarine Kazan (K-561), according to the Barents Observer.

The Oniks missile has a maximum range of 600 kilometres and can reach a supersonic speed of Mach 2.9. It can be equipped with either a conventional or a nuclear warhead.

The Northern Fleet currently operates three Yasen-class submarines, of which the Arkhangelsk is the newest. All are based at Zapadnaya Litsa, approximately 65 kilometres from Russia's northern border with Norway.