russia’s nuclear deterrent relies heavily on large nuclear-powered submarines armed with ballistic missiles. Yet Ukrainian drones and naval drones have apparently forced Moscow to take additional precautions even at bases more than 4,500 miles (7,200 km) from Ukraine.
New high-resolution satellite imagery of the russian naval base at Vilyuchinsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Pacific shows eight submarines moored at the base’s piers. The imagery provides a detailed look at the additional defenses installed around the submarines.
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The submarines include three Project 955A Borei-A or Project 955 Borei ballistic missile submarines armed with R-30 Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles, two Project 949A Antey nuclear-powered submarines, two Project 885 Yasen-class submarines, and one Project 971 Akula-class submarine.
All eight submarines are protected by anti-drone netting. Similar high-resolution satellite imagery has previously shown the nets at the base, but the latest images provide a much clearer view of how the system is constructed and used.
L-shaped metal frames have been installed along the submarine berthing areas, with netting stretched between them. When a submarine is moored, the nets are deployed over it. They can then be rolled back when the submarine prepares to leave the pier.
The nets would offer little protection against long-range strike drones. Defending against such threats would require a much larger pre-detonation barrier capable of forcing an incoming drone to explode before reaching the submarine.
Their apparent purpose is instead to protect the submarines from FPV drones. This immediately brings to mind the SSU’s Spiderweb operation, which demonstrated in June 2025 that Ukrainian drones could reach and strike russian strategic aviation bases deep inside the country.
The Vilyuchinsk base is particularly remote. It is located within a military settlement surrounded by hundreds of kilometers of forests and open water, and can only be reached by air or sea. Even so, russian forces appear to have decided that the threat posed by Ukrainian drones is serious enough to warrant additional protection.
The satellite imagery also reveals that the anti-drone nets are not the only new defensive measure around the submarines.
Boom barriers have been deployed around the submarine berths, effectively creating a smaller enclosed harbor inside the much larger bay. The bay itself is too large for its entrance to be completely blocked.
These barriers are intended to protect the submarines from uncrewed surface vessels. In some areas, the barriers have been arranged in two lines, apparently providing a second layer of protection if a USV manages to breach the first.
Defense Express reported on how U.S. Navy showed capabilities to protect nuclear-armed submarines using the Legendary A-10 attack aircraft.
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