War in Ukraine: Apocalyptic device, radioactive tsunamis, … the West worried about Russian and North Korean underwater nuclear weapons

The United States is reportedly worried about this new maritime threat: autonomous underwater drones equipped with nuclear warheads. A weapon that Russia and its North Korean ally are said to have in the context of the war in Ukraine.

As the fighting focuses on land and air, the United States is reportedly concerned about military weapons being developed independently by Russia and North Korea. The concern is also heightened by a “military alliance” between the two countries, called “Joint Sword”.

China and Iran could also be members of this alliance, according to the American arms magazine Popular Mechanics. These weapons are “underwater unmanned vehicles” (UUV), in other words autonomous underwater weapons.

Poseidon, the Russian weapon that “threatens entire regions”

The nations of this “Joint Sword” would have participated in joint naval exercises in the Gulf of Oman in May 2024. According to the independent American agency Wilson Center, Russia and North Korea would have signed a defense treaty that could strengthen their military cooperation.

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For the American magazine, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-Un would have each developed very powerful nuclear submarines. On the Russian side, the Poseidon nuclear torpedo would be worrying. This weapon, presented by Vladimir Putin in 2018, was described as “a device of the apocalypse” by the Russian president. Its length is estimated at more than 24 meters for an estimated diameter of 2 meters.

“They are very quiet, have great maneuverability and are practically indestructible for the enemy. No weapon can counter them in today's world” explained the Russian president, when news agencies claimed that the country was producing the first nuclear warheads for this weapon. This weapon would have a range of 10,000 km.

According to Popular Mechanics, this torpedo would be capable of “generating what could be described as catastrophic waves of radioactive water threatening coastal cities and entire regions.” The magazine also states that the device “has the potential to decimate the environment and cause economic turmoil.”

Haeil, the North Korean Tidal Wave

As for Kim Jong-Un, he is said to have developed a nuclear submarine drone named Haeil, meaning tidal wave in Korean. Here too, the objective is to target naval attack groups and port infrastructure.

Operational since 2022, RFI wrote in 2023 that it was still “difficult to estimate to what extent the program will be operational in real conditions outside North Korean waters”.

European officials were already accusing Russia of hitting submersible targets in early November when Internet cables were cut in the Baltic Sea. In response, the American magazine points out “the apparent lack of preparation of the American Navy for these types of radioactive tsunami weapons”.