Russian officials deny Kursk sub carried nuclear weapons

Russian officials today denied a Norwegian television report that the Kursk submarine was carrying nuclear weapons when it exploded and sank last summer.

A Russian MP cited in the TV report said he had been misquoted.

The nuclear powered Kursk sank in the Barents Sea during training exercises on August 12, killing all 118 aboard. Russian officials insisted repeatedly that the submarine, one of Russia’s most modern, was carrying only non-nuclear practice weapons.

Norway’s TV-2 quoted a Russian MP involved in investigating the Kursk disaster, Grigory Tomchin, as saying that in spite of the state’s denials, the submarine was carrying nuclear weapons.

A Norwegian engineer who has helped plan the raising of the Kursk later this year, Harald Ramfjord, told the television station that he had seen secret documents confirming there were two nuclear missiles aboard.

However, Tomchin said today that he had not made the statements attributed to him.

"What was broadcast today about the Kursk and my possible interview with Norwegian TV, that there definitely were two nuclear warheads aboard, it’s a lie," Tomchin said.

"I did give an interview to Norwegian television, and responding to the question of whether there could be nuclear weapons aboard such a submarine, I answered yes, there could be. But as to that particular submarine, I said there probably would not be," Tomchin said, adding that the state investigating commission did not discuss the question in his presence.

Russian naval spokesman Igor Dygalo reiterated the Navy’s consistent position that no nuclear weapons were aboard the Kursk.

The cause of the Kursk disaster has not been determined. Many experts suspect a torpedo exploded inside the submarine.