1 août 2000 - Sinking of the Kursk submarine

Description:

Measuring 154 m (505 ft), more than twice the length of a Boeing 747, Kursk was one of the largest submarines ever built. In August 2000, this Russian vessel joined the "Summer-X" exercise in the Barents Sea, the first large-scale naval exercise planned by Russia in more than a decade.

Two days into the exercise, on 12th August, an explosion occurred on board, caused by the failure of one of its torpedoes. This initial blast, followed by a much larger explosion, led to the vessel sinking to the sea floor, bottoming at 108 m (354 ft) about 135 km (84 mi) off Severomorsk.

While most crew members died immediately, some survived the initial incident. Evidence found during the subsequent investigation – including a note on the body of one sailor – indicated that a group of 23 men had remained alive in a rear compartment of the submarine for at least several hours, before succumbing to the effects of hypothermia, high pressure, or the toxic atmosphere due to a lack of oxygen.

The Russian government faced significant criticism for its handling of the disaster, including its delay in accepting international help, lack of transparency, and the insufficient support provided to the families of the deceased crew members. It took more than a week before Russian officials publicly acknowledged the accident, and it was not until May 2001 that the bodies of the crew members were recovered, and the wreckage raised. The Kursk tragedy highlighted the deteriorating condition of Russia's military infrastructure and became a major domestic and international incident for President Vladimir Putin, who had just taken office a few months prior.

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