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News & Current Events May 12, 2026 at 12:53 PM

A Russian ship sank in mysterious circumstances. It may have been carrying submarine nuclear reactors to North Korea

Posted by Toadfinger

A Russian ship sank in mysterious circumstances. It may have been carrying submarine nuclear reactors to North Korea | CNN
CNN
A Russian ship sank in mysterious circumstances. It may have been carrying submarine nuclear reactors to North Korea | CNN
A Russian ship with an unusual cargo suffered a series of explosions and sank in unexplained circumstances off the coast of Spain, a CNN investigation has found.
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Error_404_403 1 day ago +1637
Ooupsie-daisy... weird stuff. Who could have expected. Hmmm....
1637
Krillin113 23 hr ago +422
Why is this suddenly being picked up by cnn? This was reported 3 months ago
422
somethingbrite 23 hr ago +253
Weirder still.... it happened in 2024 and was reported at the time ... (well the suspicious sinking part was reported)
253
Krillin113 18 hr ago +30
Yes, but not the nuclear parts smuggling
30
NorthernerWuwu 11 hr ago +5
When you see "may have" in a title, odds are it wasn't.
5
Methamphetamine1893 22 hr ago +5
How come I don't remember the reporting back then? Am I demented?
5
d01100100 21 hr ago +22
It wasn't widely covered in mainstream media. There was a lot of reporting in military news niche though, with most conjecture being it was likely small nuclear reactors for NK submarines.
22
leberwrust 21 hr ago +6
Didn't get traction in media. But there were reports much earlier (not sure if 2025 or 2024)
6
Fillet00337 14 hr ago +2
Yes methamphetamine1893 you may be demented
2
HereIGoAgain_1x10 22 hr ago +107
Inflation just showed as 3.8% so QUICK LOOK OVER HERE AT NUCLEAR SHIP SUNK MYSTERIOUSLY
107
TobysGrundlee 21 hr ago +60
Remember when Trump fired Dr. Erika McEntarfer in August of last year because she reported weak economic data? There's no chance we're *only* at 3.8%. That's just what they can report without setting off The Orange Emperor.
60
ToolTimeT 17 hr ago +6
Stephen Miller is the new statistician.
6
MaxGoldFilms 20 hr ago +19
Exactly. I can't believe anyone takes the numbers coming out of the Ministry of Truth as being accurate. >"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."
19
HotBrownFun 21 hr ago +15
Trump meeting with China. Time to ratchet up propaganda on Asian threats
15
fundip12 18 hr ago +3
Made some sort of deal too. Makes you wonder why agent orange had a problem with Canada making a deal there earlier this year?
3
rosen380 20 hr ago +4
Example of CNN "Breaking News" [https://i.insider.com/534e6d0669beddf17a24be5e](https://i.insider.com/534e6d0669beddf17a24be5e)
4
[deleted] 20 hr ago +3
[deleted]
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DialecticEnjoyer 12 hr ago +1
Manufactured consent baby. That 1.5tn USD war budget aint gonna sell itself!
1
sophisticatedbuffoon 1 day ago +242
In unrelated news, a US naval installation reports a slight inaccuracy in their torpedo inventory. The base commander confirms it is only a minor accounting mistake and assures the population that there is nothing to worry about.
242
Gizshot 23 hr ago +38
IKEA is in stand by
38
Lt_Schneider 22 hr ago +7
that's an obscure refference xD
7
Throwable-Halo 19 hr ago +3
God I love being on the outside of inside jokes.
3
Lt_Schneider 13 hr ago +2
[Refference](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/dozens-misplaced-polish-anti-tank-mines-recovered-near-ikea-warehouse-2025-01-10/)
2
BillionTonsHyperbole 23 hr ago +7
"Just a couple MK-14s left over from WW2. Probably never even detonated like most of the rest."
7
DrXaos 18 hr ago +2
possibly more like for some reason South Korea owed Ukraine a whole bunch of drone parts, and they have recently been delivered.
2
Toph84 16 hr ago +2
You joke it's the USA, but China despises North Korea getting more nuclear technology as well and the closer relationship between Russia and North Korea. The damage that sunk the ship aligns with a type of naval weapon only in use by China and Russia. If Western nations sunk a Russian ship, they would have been blasting accusations and hostile retort non stop, but they've being very quiet about it and try to sweep it under the rug. I'm more inclined to believe China sunk the ship to deny more nuclear materials heading to NK, and Russia knows it's China but is in no position to make trouble with China so they don't say anything.
2
Sigmar_Heldenhammer 23 hr ago +13
Poseidon is a fickle god. These things happen.
13
Oirish-Oriley444 20 hr ago +5
Was the sinking intentional by Russia? Did they reach mission accomplished and the sub traveled the rest of the way to North K? uhh... guess it can google for intel.
5
jcar49 12 hr ago +1
A negligent Russian sailor was smoking and dropped the cigarette melting a hole through the ship
1
Nerevarine91 23 hr ago +339
“What the hell kind of a name is Soap, anyway?”
339
Two-Rock- 18 hr ago +25
Probably for his ability to "clean up dirty jobs" Lol.
25
ztomiczombie 17 hr ago +6
More likely he swore a lot.
6
McCree114 16 hr ago +9
"I like to keep this for close encounters."
9
WWIIICannonFodder 23 hr ago +514
Kind of reminds me of that unfortunate series of mistakes where Russian ships dragged their anchors and cut European undersea cables. Just really unfortunate accidents, except in this one the victim was a Russian ship. Such a damn shame it also happened to be carrying some of the most valuable cargo imaginable!
514
Zestyclose_Data5100 21 hr ago +53
I mean there was a narrative in Russia that the West is undecided, weak, divided, retiliates with expressed concern and occasionally an expelled diplomat. Anyways, why do anything if russian ships sink by themselves?
53
Yardsale420 22 hr ago +69
Vladimir Snickett and a series of unfortunate anchors.
69
iGoalie 23 hr ago +235
I mean ... the captain CONFIRMED they were carrying reactors... >The captain came “under pressure to clarify what he meant by ‘manhole covers,’” the items originally listed on the ship’s manifest, the statement added. “**He finally confessed that they were the components of two nuclear reactors similar to those used by submarines.** According to his testimony, and without being able to confirm it, they did not contain nuclear fuel.”
235
Wonderful-Process792 22 hr ago +63
Jeeeze. I'm surprised the captain would even have been told. Why Russia or anybody would want NK to have nuclear subs is beyond me.
63
Intelligent_Slip_849 22 hr ago +108
In exchange for the troops helped them against Ukraine, probably.
108
obeytheturtles 20 hr ago +13
It's better to look it as a broader trend in cooperation, where Russia is slowly turning North Korea into a sacrificial Nuclear vassal state which potentially gives them a unique first strike capability. Their entire nuclear missile program is basically using domestic clones of Russian parts, and likely direct Russian expertise as well. Russia has given one other country Nuclear weapons, and it was a famously bad decision which got them closer to nuclear war with China than they ever got with the US. The only way Russia would be helping NK like this is if they knew they had some ability to exert control over those weapons, and the only reason they'd want that is first strike deniability. "Russia condemns the unprovoked Nuclear strike on these US carrier fleets by North Korea, and urges the US to retaliate proportionally and with restraint." The thing is, the US can't actually turn NK into a nuclear wasteland without also f****** over South Korea as well, so that binds the strategic risk even more.
13
devkdup 18 hr ago +3
This reads like a TV drama to me. If things are happening as you believe they are, there is no world in which western/US intelligence is not aware of it. There are plenty of non nuclear weapons the US could use to flatten NK if it chose to. The risk is not that US attacks would also hit SK, the risk is the same it’s always been which is that any attack on NK would result in them retaliating with a barrage of artillery over the border into SK. NK essentially gets to use the threat mutually assured destruction that nuclear nations do, just on a regional scale rather than global.
3
hackingdreams 21 hr ago +16
Russia is North Korea's ally. They'd love to have North Korea as a nuclear proxy state. They've helped them every step of the way, and especially recently with the Ukraine war, North Korea's been able to help them back by selling ammunition. Russia's in the market for as many anti-US proxy states as it can find to fight wars against us. They already have the US fighting itself... get it fighting on too many fronts? That's how you break a superpower.
16
Captn_Deathwing 21 hr ago +3
Pretty sure Russia has been buddy with NK for a little while including make more infrastructure with their border
3
doglywolf 17 hr ago +2
reactors are never shipped with fuel or active components for this exact reason
2
idkidd 1 day ago +296
I bet James Cameron could find it… \*”No budget too steep, no sea too deep! Who's that? It's him, James Cameron!”\* 🎶
296
reformedmikey 23 hr ago +46
Jaaaaames Cameron, explorer of the seas!
46
nickl630 23 hr ago +31
You guys hearing the song up there?!
31
Rocktopod 22 hr ago +20
Yes, we can all hear the song!
20
totemoheta 23 hr ago +55
"The bravest pioneer!"
55
shagieIsMe 20 hr ago +8
Project Azorian is one bit to look at. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Azorian Robbert Ballard and the project to find the USS Thresher and USS Scorpion and its "what do we do with the free time afterwards?" is another. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Ballard#RMS_Titanic Asking James Cameron wouldn't be too far off.
8
whatyoucallmetoday 23 hr ago +14
Great. That song just pushed Moana out of my head.
14
BillsWingzMafia 10 hr ago +1
Or Howard Hughes
1
at-woork 20 hr ago +1
Fight me Cameron
1
Bolter_NL 23 hr ago +15
Again? Oh wait it's just old news... 
15
Desert_Aficionado 16 hr ago +1
There are many developments in the Russia-Ukraine war that don't reach mainstream news.
1
Bolter_NL 6 hr ago +1
This has basically nothing to do with Russia - Ukraine. And this was actually widely reported 
1
steve_ample 1 day ago +255
Probably one of Biden's last Special Ops orders before they'd ever be used against Russia in a long while.
255
francis2559 23 hr ago +130
Oh, the event was December of 2024. That seems quite likely, actually.
130
2HDFloppyDisk 1 day ago +164
I'd take grandpa over old man poopie pants any day at this point
164
Spiritual-Pear-1349 23 hr ago +70
Donald 'shit his pants on national television' Trump
70
PoppinfreshOG 23 hr ago +32
Donald “mentioned in the Epstein files 38,000 times” Trump
32
Dancing_Decker 21 hr ago +4
Skip the niceties. It's Donald "child rapist and murderer" Trump
4
zosolm 23 hr ago +12
That was an amazing television moment, unbelievable but somehow still not surprising because it's Trump
12
TWIT_TWAT 23 hr ago +52
Sleepy old guy vs. sleepy old guy who is also a raging narcissist determined to destroy our democracy, our economy and our alliances?
52
Fluffy_Judge_581 23 hr ago +20
Also pedophiel 
20
Black-Shoe 23 hr ago +17
And a belligerent moron.
17
ODShowtime 21 hr ago +1
Don't forget traitor!
1
datCASgoBRR 8 hr ago +3
What's f****** wild to me is that he was a known Russian asset BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION and the security state didn't do anything to stop him, and even pulled shady shit to help get him elected.
3
Lucimon 23 hr ago +23
Grandpa at least had competent people around him. Orange Grandpa is surrounded by people dumber than him. And he's already an idiot.
23
thewholebottle 23 hr ago +8
Yeah, Biden had staff around him competent to hide his infirmities and run the entire government in a competent way. I imagine that's common.
8
Lucimon 22 hr ago +1
Sadly Trump doesn't have the same and the country is suffering for it.
1
Abba_Fiskbullar 21 hr ago +3
Opa Biden had a cabinet of incredibly competent people around him.
3
DateMasamusubi 23 hr ago +6
Or South Korea.
6
GreenStrong 20 hr ago +10
Other speculation includes that the Biden Administration gave South Korea highly detailed information about what was on the ship and its real-time location, just in case they were curious. Another theory is that Putin didn't actually want a nation on his border to have the potential to develop a nuclear second strike, so he fulfilled the contract by sending real reactors, but scuttled the ship and blamed Biden. Without access to classified data, it simply isn't possible to weigh the plausibility of various theories.
10
DrXaos 18 hr ago +5
> Biden Administration gave South Korea highly detailed information about what was on the ship and its real-time location, And there is another motivated nation with a pretty good bold special ops org that might also make use of electronics and other drone parts made in South Korea.
5
Key_Marsupial_1406 22 hr ago +3
The US did just seize a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the Venezuela blockade.
3
Methamphetamine1893 22 hr ago +1
Wouldn't sinking ships of another nuclear state be problematic?
1
U-235 21 hr ago +7
We are already in a shadow war with Russia, and have been for years, arguably even before 2022. They hack our shit every single day. They give Iran intel to help kill US military personal every single day. They are out there destroying our undersea cables at this very moment. Unless you think Russia was gonna start a nuclear war over this, they have already been hitting us with everything they have. There is no incentive to not f*** their shit up.
7
Methamphetamine1893 21 hr ago +1
Thanks U-235
1
Not_Sure__Camacho 1 day ago +66
Trump also allowed Russian ships to move past their blockade of Cuba.....  
66
Top_Willow_9953 1 day ago +26
Paywall - subscribers only 😒
26
radicalgamingHD 1 day ago +26
[you’re welcome.](https://byebyepaywall.com/en/)
26
Ziograffiato 23 hr ago +21
[you’re welcomer](https://archive.ph/6DNXw)
21
radicalgamingHD 23 hr ago +9
I like to show people the first link so they know how to do it in the future. Thanks anyways
9
Ziograffiato 22 hr ago +5
Teach a man to fish. I respect that.
5
FlexboneFTW 23 hr ago +1
Thank you for showing me something I didn't bookmark and have no interest in using down the line.
1
radicalgamingHD 23 hr ago +4
Sarcasm? I’m assuming it is…
4
FlexboneFTW 16 hr ago +1
No, I was serious. I'd heard about such methods but never really went looking for one.
1
Top_Willow_9953 22 hr ago +1
TIL - Thank you! It also turns out that Firefox's reader mode works as well.
1
CptnJarJar 23 hr ago +12
I mean I know it probably would take longer but wouldn’t it make more sense to ship something like that over land within your own boarders?
12
PaterPoempel 22 hr ago +11
The parts were far too large to transport them by train to north korea. The shipment even included a crane, as NK didn't have anything suitable to unload them. There is also no river network and no road connection of sufficient quality. It's also really far from european side of Russia, where the parts were produced, to the border with NK. With typical road speeds of a few km a day, it would take multiple years to arrive there. And in winter, the north-west passage is frozen over, so it was really the only route they could have taken.
11
Melkor15 21 hr ago +4
It’s really impressive how isolated NK is from Russia.
4
greenmachine11235 22 hr ago +3
Likely too large/heavy for land transport and going north would be impossible due to ice in the arctic. 
3
Toadfinger 23 hr ago
I would think time would be more important. That it would be used against Ukraine. Russia has been struggling against Ukraine the whole time.
0
New-Finding9358 23 hr ago +31
It "may have been"... it might also have been out sighting giant squid, or seeking the perfect spot to experience Debussy's 'La Mer' in 5:1 surround sound.
31
Toadfinger 23 hr ago +7
It WAS just after North Korea sent troops to Russia.
7
gogglebox88 23 hr ago +3
Which recording tho?
3
sonic_couth 23 hr ago +1
The latter seems to be the growing general consensus.
1
TheunanimousFern 22 hr ago +1
Maybe, but according to the article, the ship's captain only confessed to the transporting nuclear reactors part
1
botle 23 hr ago +11
That's what submairne nuclear reactors are supposed to do.
11
thegreatboto 23 hr ago +5
Working as intended.
5
SeanPatrickMcCluskey 16 hr ago +4
“Well done, 007.” “You do know how I enjoy going down where it’s wet, ma’am.”
4
RobutNotRobot 16 hr ago +4
If some alphabet agency did do it, they didn't tell Trump or else we'd have known about it by now.
4
Castillon1453 18 hr ago +5
"Mysterious circumstances" \*Dr evil air quotes\*
5
greenmachine11235 22 hr ago +6
My guess is a sub launch USV that placed shaped charges. Four simultaneous blasts rules out torpedoes and so do nearby e****** since torpedoes are designed to be fast, not quite so anything with passive sonar would hear it.  It'd also explain the two rounds of blasts, first attempt was foiled by the crew so they tried again until it was on the bottom. 
6
turbocynic 12 hr ago +1
The four blasts were by the Russians, after they arrived. Presumably they were scuttling it. Note the sentence about the Russians setting off flares(after arriving at the already attacked boat), and the blasts happening just after that.
1
Belerophon17 22 hr ago +3
It's those dastardly KAMIKAZE DOLPHINS!
3
Responsible_Bread153 22 hr ago +3
Press X to rappel down 
3
jdb30a 20 hr ago +3
I wonder if the Trump files will end up trumping Epstein.
3
razvanciuy 19 hr ago +3
The ship in question was carrying nuclear reactor caps, big and heavy, several of them. Costs a bunch, takes long to make.
3
Narradisall 16 hr ago +3
Sounds like the prep work for the new Bond film is nearly done.
3
McortezLSU 16 hr ago +3
Obviously it was the rare and elusive mediterranean Iceberg. Darndest things, but hey lets go with that story folks.
3
nerdwaffles 15 hr ago +3
How do you even get a ship onto a hotel balcony?
3
PleaseBePatient99 15 hr ago +3
Would never happen during this administration, Russia and North korea are key US allies now.
3
Toadfinger 14 hr ago +2
Both Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin have been asked by Trump to join his *Board of Peace.*
2
Mythosaurus 14 hr ago +3
Maybe next time they just ship them overland to North Korea, since they share a border?
3
Sochinz 10 hr ago +3
So, it looks like maybe Biden had a Russian ship torpedoed to prevent North Korea from gaining additional nuclear technology and then just didn't mention it? No Twitter posts? He didn't go on his personal social media platform to brag? He figured it was better for international diplomacy and global stability that everyone pretends that didn't happen since it's in everyone's national interest to do so?
3
Automatic-Ad8986 22 hr ago +2
Pretty sure this just an episode of The Diplomat on Netflix
2
Toadfinger 22 hr ago +1
Don't give them any ideas.
1
Stunning_Mediocrity 21 hr ago +2
I would argue the alleged cargo makes the circumstances much less mysterious.
2
BarfingOnMyFace 21 hr ago +2
It may also be carrying tons of Swiss cheese!
2
vladi84 20 hr ago +2
Now, that's one way to deliver submarine parts
2
amaranthusrowan 17 hr ago +2
Ok I think I’ve seen this played out in at least three Bond films…
2
Plastic-Ad-2496 16 hr ago +2
I can feel the air quotes on this one.
2
geek66 22 hr ago +5
I was convinced the US admin would be incapable of this - but then I saw it was 2024, OK, it was the US
5
whk1992 23 hr ago +2
Just pick it up from the floor it’s for a submarine anyway.
2
Ninevehenian 23 hr ago +2
Paired with the new vehicle bridge between Russia and N. Korea, this sounds like a deal they want to carry out.
2
Toddcraft 7 hr ago +2
Well, they'll definitely have to carry it out now
2
jxj24 22 hr ago +2
Maybe the poor ship had submarine envy?
2
doglywolf 17 hr ago +2
One of those situations where even if it has a giant torpedo hole in the side Russia has to be like Um nope nothing to look at here guys!
2
Tree0wl 23 hr ago +1
Whoops!, Time for another Project Azorian!
1
Mal-De-Terre 23 hr ago +1
Well, they're certainly underwater now.
1
TopChard1274 22 hr ago +1
it’s an incident from 2024, and the CNN investigation team brings more stuff to light today.
1
antelope_m 22 hr ago +1
Ok anyone from Greece hear
1
blackfocal 22 hr ago +1
Anyone wanna go in with me on starting a recovery company to grab a couple reactors at the bottom of the ocean?
1
the_ghost_is 19 hr ago +1
Probably some deep underwater creatures already took them and are armed now ⚔️
1
themightychew 22 hr ago +1
Doesn't Kim have an armoured train that goes from Pyongyang to Russia that he travels in when visiting Putin? Feels in hindsight that would have been safer.
1
MusicFilmandGameguy 21 hr ago +1
The Russians did it, themselves so they wouldn’t have to actually give the reactors to NK 🤓
1
Annual-Reason2970 21 hr ago +1
where do I put the nuclear fuel? just set it over on the shelf lol
1
[deleted] 21 hr ago +1
[removed]
1
BaconAlmighty 16 hr ago +1
It may have container 430 million plastic pikachu's - how will we ever know?
1
sjimmyp 11 hr ago +1
This was quite a while ago
1
itsthreeamyo 10 hr ago +1
Didn't we know this already like a few minutes after it happened? Why is it gaining traction again.
1
Real_Ad6375 8 hr ago +1
Trump still gonna be putins little puppy
1
Crittsy 23 hr ago +1
[ Removed by Listnook ]
1
Drak_is_Right 20 hr ago +1
Probably the US, but possibly South Korea. Possibility simply a poorly maintained Russian ship sank. Low chance it was Ukraine or China. I do wonder if they could have gotten it working QUIETLY. A lot of early nuclear subs weren't exactly stealthy.
1
Mother_Airline_6276 18 hr ago +1
Shit like this is why the aliens don’t f*** with us.
1
Toadfinger 18 hr ago +3
The aliens don't f*** with us because they're laughing to hard to do anything.
3
abmalaso 17 hr ago +3
We are definitely a reality TV program on some planet.
3
Kaffe-Mumriken 23 hr ago
I love the engagement typo
0
Responsible_Bread153 22 hr ago
Sounds like a Call of Duty mission
0
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