Tsunami Waves Look to Have Snapped Pier at Russian Base

A powerful earthquake that struck last week in Russia's Far East appears to have taken a chunk out of a nuclear submarine base. Satellite images captured Sunday show a section of a floating pier at the Rybachiy submarine base—home to part of Russia's Pacific Fleet—has broken away from its mooring, the New York Times reports, though the damage appears to be limited. The base, nestled in a cove on Kamchatka peninsula, is a Soviet-era site and one of Russia's most guarded military installations. Government officials and state media have stayed silent about any impact to the base.

Despite the apparent damage, which analysts say likely came from tsunami waves triggered by the 8.8 magnitude quake, most of the base seems unscathed. Five submarines are visible at nearby piers, and no heightened radiation levels have been detected, according to international nuclear watchdogs. Rybachiy's infrastructure has been updated in recent years, with at least two new piers added since Russia invaded Ukraine. The facility's location—tucked away to shield vessels from open-sea conditions—may have limited the blow. The Conflict Intelligence Team, which monitors Russian military activity, assessed that the episode is unlikely to affect the base's operational readiness and expects repair costs to be minor.