A Russian salvage company has stated that it expects to complete the recovery of a sunken tug from the waters of Saint Petersburg by the end of this month.
The object of the salvage effort is the Russian Navy Project 23470 icebreaking tug Kapitan Ushakov, which sank while she was still under construction at the facilities of state-owned Baltic Shipyard on August 8, 2025.
Baltspetsflot, also based in Saint Petersburg, has been tasked to raise the wreckage. The company has already completed on-site preparatory work and is awaiting the go-ahead following the signing of documents associated with advance payment for the effort.
Ushakov was undergoing final outfitting when one of her compartments suffered water ingress, causing her to tilt heavily to starboard. She eventually capsized and sank the following morning.
The tug eventually settled to the seabed near the jetty where she had been undergoing outfitting. No injuries were reported.
An initial probe revealed that the water ingress that resulted in the capsizing had originated in the auxiliary engine room. The tug then gradually tilted as the flooding worsened.
The Investigative Committee of Russia has since launched a criminal investigation into the incident. The probe is being carried out as required by Article 216 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers violation of safety procedures during construction activities.
Construction of Ushakov began in 2017. The tug was previously scheduled to enter service with the Russian Navy at the end of last year.
