In the turbulent post-Cold War year of 1992, the ocean depths were far from tranquil. On February 11, 1992, the normally unseen underwater realm captured international attention when the USS Baton Rouge and the Russian Sierra-class submarine Kostroma had an unplanned encounter.The USS Baton Rouge, a Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, was operating in the vicinity of Severomorsk, home to a major Russian naval base.

The mission involved the clandestine tracking of Russian naval activities—a continuation of Cold War espionage despite the Soviet Union’s recent dissolution.

As both submarines conducted their maneuvers, they unexpectedly met, resulting in a collision approximately 12 miles offshore—an area the U.S. considered international waters. This was no minor scrape. The 9,000-ton Kostroma, while surfacing, struck the Baton Rouge. The American submarine received considerable damage, including heavy scratches and a torn ballast tank, which could have resulted in catastrophic flooding due to its single-hull construction.

The Kostroma suffered a dented sail but was operational enough to return to service after repairs were completed by June 1992, even receiving a major refit in 2005. Today, she is in reserve and bears a number “1” kill marker on her conning tower, for her part in Baton Rouge’s accidental defeat.The event prompted high-level discussions between U.S. Secretary of State James Baker and Russian President Boris Yeltsin. It was a major political disaster for the United States, revealing Washington’s close monitoring of Russian military activity.

Despite the collision happening in international waters, Moscow deemed the U.S. actions illegal. Following diplomatic talks, the U.S. Navy restricted certain submarine operations near Russian naval bases, including tapping underwater cables and intercepting wireless communications.The Baton Rouge, meanwhile, was not so fortunate in the aftermath. Already slated for refueling, the assessment of damage and the associated repair costs led to the decision to decommission the submarine, marking it as the first Los Angeles-class submarine to be scrapped and stricken from the Naval Vessel Register.

Relevant articles:
– Why A Russian Sierra-Class Nuclear Submarine and U.S. Sub Collided in 1992, The National Interest, Dec 3, 2023
– Two US Submarines Collide off Long Island, armscontrol.ru
– Kildin Island Incident: When a Russian Submarine Surfaced Right Under an American Spy Sub, War History Online, Aug 9, 2021
– In 1992, a Russian Nuclear Attack Submarine Slammed into an American Sub (Right off Russia’s Coast), The National Interest, Dec 13, 2016