Key Points – In February 1992, just after the end of the Cold War, the US nuclear attack submarine USS Baton Rouge collided with the Russian titanium-hulled Sierra-class submarine B-276 Kostroma in the Barents Sea near a Russian naval base.
-The incident, which caused significant damage to both vessels but no casualties, created a major diplomatic crisis between Washington and Moscow.
-US Secretary of State James A. Baker was dispatched to de-escalate tensions with an angry Russian President Boris Yeltsin.
-The USS Baton Rouge was subsequently decommissioned, while the repaired Russian submarine’s crew was allowed to paint a “kill” mark on its sail, a symbolic victory in a tense underwater encounter that could have spiraled into a much more serious conflict.
Tragedy Averted When an American and Russian Sub Collided
This story has all the markings of a Cold War military thriller novel. It could have led to a much more serious outcome.
However, it was still an incident that placed the fear of God in Moscow and Washington, since it was a huge international incident that could have sparked combat between the United States and Russia.
Our tale starts at the end of the Cold War when the Soviet Union fell apart. This was a fraught time. No one knew just what was going to happen day to day.
There were loose Soviet nuclear weapons, and some Russian naval personnel operating in submarines may not have heard the Cold War was over, which heightened the sense of danger.
What Happened?
In February 1992, a serious incident occurred. The USS Baton Rouge, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, was patrolling the Bering Sea and collided with the B-276 Kostroma, a Russian Sierra-class sub. The Baton Rouge sustained damage to its ballast tank, which could have been much worse, and affected its ability to surface and dive. Any more damage could have sunk the sub, and all hands could have gone down to Davy Jones’ Locker to certain death.
The Crash Could Have Been Much Worse
It happened near the Russian naval base at Severomorsk. Both boats received ample damage, but there were no deaths or injuries. However, Moscow was concerned that the U.S. Navy was operating too close to a Russian submarine and a naval base. This damaged diplomatic relations between the two nuclear powers.
The Kostroma had slightly more damage with its sail damaged on the forward section of the boat. This made the Russians steaming ma,d and there was no guarantee they would be placated after the incident.
Both Sides Were Risking a More Serious Altercation
At the time, the USS Baton Rouge was monitoring radio traffic by the Russian navy. That is why it was sailing so close to the Russian base. The Russians had difficulty ensuring the Americans would finally stop their spying efforts, despite the end of the Cold War.
The United States believed that it was the Russian sub that struck the American boat, Moscow thought it was the other way around. This misunderstanding created a diplomatic crisis.
The Americans Wanted to Talk Their Way Out of Trouble
Instead of denying the incident, the Pentagon admitted that the crash occurred.
At the time, the U.S. Secretary of State, James A. Baker, was dispatched to lower the temperature, talk to Boris Yeltsin, and alleviate his anger.
While the collision could have been worse for both sides, Moscow couldn’t believe that the United States was still spying and collecting reconnaissance information. There was peace at hand, the Kremlin believed, and the Americans should have backed off and pursued more nonaggressive interactions.
Two Heavyweights Go to the Mat
Yeltsin was fuming, but he agreed to meet with Baker. The silver-tongued American oozed smooth Texas charm. Yeltsin was known for his bluster and volatile personality. His daily consumption of vodka worried Baker that the Russian leader may lose his temper and order his country to be on war footing.
Baker appeared to back down during the meeting details of which are still sparse. Baker likely reassured Yeltsin and promised that the U.S. Navy would quit spying on the Russians and would not steal wireless communications or tap its undersea cables.
Baker likely did not confirm or deny just what U.S. submarines were doing so close to a Russian base. Yeltsin made sure his country came out on top during the exchange. The Russian president was glad he did not lose one of his submarines, which would have made the incident more tense.
This showed that the United States could talk its way out of trouble. Baker had excellent negotiating skills and Yeltsin was talked down from the ledge. This outcome made President George HW Bush happy since he needed a good relationship with Yeltsin, and both sides were wondering if Russia could transform into a market-based economy with democratic features instead of an authoritarian, centrally planned economic system. If two submarines were destroyed, this would set the reform project back years and could have even resulted in a shooting conflict.
As for the submarines, the Russians came out on top. The Baton Rouge was scheduled for a midlife nuclear reactor refueling and returned to base. The Navy ultimately decided to scrap it. The Russians made the needed repairs on the Kostroma, and the crew declared victory over the Baton Rouge. The Russian navy even let the sailors place a decal on the boat that symbolized a submarine “kill.” Luckily, the whole incident settled down, and Washington and Moscow later improved relations enough to pursue reforms in Russia.
About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood
Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
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