TASS FACTBOX. On December 16, 2025, ceremonial raising of the Russian naval flag on the new-generation large diesel-electric submarine Velikiye Luki, a Project 677 Lada-class submarine being built for the Baltic Fleet, took place at the Admiralty Shipyards (part of Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation — USC) in St. Petersburg. TASS FACTBOX editors have prepared a factsheet on this submarine class.
The Project 677 Lada large diesel-electric submarine is an advance version of Project 877 Paltus (or Varshavyanka). The Lada was designed as a universal replacement for Project 877 submarines, with reduced noise levels among the required characteristics. The project was developed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau of Marine Engineering (St. Petersburg) in the 1990s under the supervision of Chief Designer Yury Kormilitsyn. Admiralty Shipyards (St. Petersburg, a subsidiary of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC)), is the builder of all submarines of the project.
Project 677 diesel-electric submarines are designed to destroy enemy surface ships and vessels, conduct patrols, conduct reconnaissance, protect sea lanes, lay minefields, and perform other missions. Submarines of this type can operate in all weather conditions in shallow and deep waters anywhere in the world's oceans, except for continuous ice areas. Project 677 subs have a single-hull architecture. Compared to Project 877 Lada submarines, they feature lower noise levels, a high degree of automation, a surface displacement reduced almost 1.3 times, and greater submerged speed.
