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Russian ship that sank off Cartagena was transporting nuclear reactors
The mysterious sinking of the 'Ursa Major' on the night of December 23-24, 2024, 60 miles off the coast of Cartagena, has been the subject of numerous conspiracy theories since its connection to the Russian dark fleet came to light. However, more than a year later, the combination of new information and the government's response to a parliamentary question from the People's Party (PP) has allowed for a clearer picture to emerge. The 'Ursa Major' had departed from the Russian port St. Petersburg bound for Vladivostok on Dec 11, 2024, with an ETA as of Dec 22. 11 days later, while the ship was in waters between Spain and Algeria, it drastically reduced its speed. On Dec 23, the vessel issued a distress signal after three explosions were recorded in the engine room. The Spanish authorities responded to the rescue in accordance with international law. Upon arrival, Salvamento Marítimo confirmed that the ship was listing heavily and taking on water, and that the crew had abandoned ship in a lifeboat. In total, 14 of the 16 crew members were rescued alive, while the 2nd engineer and the oiler remained missing to this day. The tanks contained 380 tons of heavy fuel oil and the same amount of diesel. The captain, Igar Vladimirovich, stated that the cargo consisted of 129 empty 40-foo containers, five 20-foot containers with spare hatch covers, two Liebherr cranes, and two clamps for an icebreaker under construction, raising the question why a ship wozld travel halfway around the world to transport empty containers and parts that could be shipped by road or rail, saving a lot of money and tim. The investigation carried out indicated that the cargo ship was carrying two blue packages weighing approximately 65 tons each. This mysterious undeclared cargo would justify a journey of more than 15,000 kilometers by sea between St. Petersburg and Vladivostok," the investigation stated, given that the Russian city was located near the border with North Korea. From there, the investigation began to narrow down the true nature of the cargo. The Spanish authorities detected items that did not match the declared manifest, such as pipes, modules, and other components typical of nuclear propulsion systems. The hypothesis that ultimately prevailed in internal reports suggested that these packages actually corresponded to the casings of two VM-4SG model nuclear reactors, historically associated with submarines. This conclusion was connected to the geopolitical context in which the incident occurred. Months earlier, Russia and North Korea had strengthened their military cooperation for an exchange of weapons and sensitive technology. The possible use of the 'Ursa Major' to transport nuclear components to the North Korean port of Rason, near the Russian border, would place the case within the realm of proliferation and international sanctions. However, the official response from the Spanish government introduced important nuances. In its response to the Congress on Febr 23, 2026, following a request for information from the People's Party a month earlier, the government confirmed that the ship's captain eventually admitted to have transported components for two nuclear reactors similar to those found in submarines, although, according to his testimony, without nuclear fuel. The government also acknowledged that a thorough inspection of the cargo was not carried out. The intervention of Spanish resources was limited to the rescue of the crew, as the ship was on the high seas and any inspection would have violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Another key point confirmed is Russia's rapid intervention in the operation. Hours after the distress call, a Russian warship took over the rescue operations because the 'Ursa Major' was a Russian-flagged vessel and requested that the Spanish units remain two miles away, thus limiting the scope of direct action for the resources deployed by Spain. However, on Dec 25, 2024, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that the Ursa Major had been the victim of a “terrorist act.” She was among the most important vessels of Oboronlogistics, the shipping company under the Russian Ministry of Defense responsible for strategic transport to enclaves such as the temporary occupied Crimea, Kaliningrad, the Arctic, and the Kuril Islands. Built in Germany in 2009 under the name 'Scan Britania', the ship changed names several times and operated under different flags throughout its history. At the time of its sinking, another merchant ship from the same company, the 'Sparta', was sailing in the area before continuing its voyage to Port Said.
Russian shadow ship was carrying reactor components
Spanish investigators have confirmed that the 'Ursa Major' was carrying undeclared nuclear reactor components likely bound for North Korea, when it sank. The ship was part of Russia’s shadow fleet and took an unusual route from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok through the Mediterranean. Though the vessel’s manifest listed only empty containers and port equipment, aerial images revealed two large, undeclared containers at the stern. Authorities later identified them as housings for VM-4SG nuclear reactors. Spain concluded the shipment was headed for the North Korean port of Rason, which lacks the infrastructure to handle such cargo without specialized cranes, also carried onboard. On Dec 22, 2024, Spanish maritime controllers noticed the vessel losing speed and listing without explanation. A distress signal followed on Dec 23. Spanish rescue units responded and found the ship heavily listing. The captain claimed it had suffered a mechanical failure, but hull damage showed signs of an external strike consistent with a supercavitating torpedo. The Russian warship 'Ivan Gren' soon arrived, demanded control of the site, and launched flares, likely to disrupt satellite surveillance. Shortly after, the 'Ursa Major' disappeared from the surface. Seismographs recorded underwater explosions, and the ship sank to a depth of 2,500 meters. Days later, the Russian vessel 'Yantar', capable of deep-sea recovery, arrived at the site, which was suggesting an effort to retrieve or destroy sensitive equipment. While Russia accused Spain of interfering, Spanish officials maintained their actions were in line with international maritime law. The Captain of the 'Ursa Major', Igor Vladimirovich Anisimov, initially told the investigators that the cargo consisted of more than 100 empty containers, two giant crawler cranes on deck, and two large components for a Russian icebreaker project (the tarped objects located near the stern). All this was headed to Vladivostok. The Spanish authorities estimated their weight at about 65 tonnes each, suggesting unusual density. After the master was pressed on the matter, he asked for time to think, then told investigators that the items were "manhole covers." The Spanish investigators identified the cargo as a pair of casings for nuclear-submarine reactors - specifically, for a pair of Soviet-era VM-4SG reactors. The VM-4SG variant was installed aboard the Delta IV-class submarine, and is still in active service aboard half a dozen of these ballistic missile subs in the Russian Navy. The Spanish authorities speculated that the reactor parts may have been destined for the North Korean nuclear submarine program, which just launched its first ballistic-missile sub. The newbuild North Korean vessel likely benefited from Russian technical assistance for its reactor design, and could potentially have incorporated a fully built Russian reactor.- Russia owes North Korea a special debt for vast transfers of artillery shells and other munitions, which have helped the Russian Army to reverse losses and begin gaining ground in Eastern Ukraine. The 'Ursa Major' was operated by Oboronlogistics, a defense-linked firm that regularly transports military cargo for the Kremlin
Russian spy ship operating at sinking site
The Russian spy ship 'Yantar' (IMO: 7524419), that last week had NATO forces in Greece and southern Italy on alert, has left the port of Algiers, where it had been stationed for a few days, and is now operating in the western Mediterranean in the same stretch of sea where, on Dec 24, the 'Ursa Major' sank. The cause of the sinking has not been established, but it is known that an explosion struck the engine room, while carrying critical components for the construction of a Russian nuclear icebreaker in the Far East. It is therefore possible that the 'Yantar', officially designated as an oceanographic research vessel, is working to locate the wreck and investigate what actually happened.
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