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Reconstruction works for Russia’s Losharik submarine demaged in fire to begin this fall

Fourteen sailors lost their lives in the tragedy on July 1

MOSCOW, August 14. /TASS/. Reconstruction works for Russia’s AS-31 deep-diving submarine nicknamed Losharik, which was damaged in a fire in the Barents Sea on July 1, will begin at the Zvyozdochka ship repairing center in northern Russia’s Severodvinsk this fall, a source in the Russian defense and industry sector told TASS.

"This fall Losharik will be towed for repair works at Zvyozdochka," the source said, adding that the effort would involve experts of the Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering and the vessel’s manufacturer Sevmash.

According to a preliminary evaluation, the submarine’s systems have been seriously damaged. "The fire has seriously affected radio and electronic equipment, automatic systems, acoustic and navigation equipment and life-support systems," the source noted. It’s unclear how seriously the station’s titanic hull has been damaged.

Another source in the defense and industry sector told TASS that Sevmash would manufacture new titanic parts of the hull to replace those damaged by the fire. The manufacturer has not yet confirmed this report.

The Russian Defense Ministry earlier reported that on July 1 a fire erupted onboard a research submersible in the Barents Sea, which was designed to explore the near-bottom space and bottom of the World Ocean in the interests of the Russian Navy. Fourteen sailors lost their lives in the tragedy. In the end, the blaze was extinguished thanks to the crew’s self-sacrificing actions. The submersible was taken to a Russian naval base in Severomorsk, where a commission launched an investigation into the incident. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered to reconstruct the submersible as soon as possible.