BARCELONA, Spain — Spanish government records reveal that a Russian cargo vessel which went down in Mediterranean waters more than a year ago following engine room explosions was potentially transporting nuclear submarine reactor components.
The vessel Ursa Major went down on December 23, 2024, in waters between Spain and Algeria during what was reported as a voyage from St. Petersburg to Russia’s Pacific port of Vladivostok. Fourteen crew members were rescued by Spanish maritime teams, though two sailors were lost.
According to a written government response to parliamentary opposition members, the vessel’s commanding officer “confessed” the ship was transporting “components for two nuclear reactors similar to those used in submarines.”
The parliamentary document, dated February 23 and first disclosed by CNN on Tuesday, has been reviewed by The Associated Press.
When the vessel sank, Russian state shipping company Oboronlogistika claimed the Ursa Major was the victim of sabotage. The company reported three major explosions struck the vessel near the waterline in what they characterized as a “terrorist attack.”
Oboronlogistika operates under Russia’s defense ministry and faces sanctions from both the United States and European Union due to military connections.
Ship records indicated the vessel was transporting 129 containers, two large cranes, and “two well covers,” according to the government document.
When questioned by Harbor Master officials in Cartagena, Spain, following the rescue, the ship’s captain disclosed that the well covers were actually nuclear components. The captain clarified that no nuclear fuel was aboard the vessel.
Spanish officials explained they could not inspect the ship to verify this information during rescue operations, which prioritized crew safety and searching for missing personnel. The wreckage lies approximately 2,500 meters below the surface.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated during a Wednesday press briefing that he had not reviewed reports about the ship’s cargo, adding “there is nothing for us to comment on here.”
