Russian Sub Fire Spread From Battery Compartment

Russian officials still haven't named the submersible on which 14 senior officers died in a fire Monday, but more details are emerging. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Thursday that the submersible was indeed nuclear-powered, as local media reported, but that the reactor had been isolated from the fire, which spread from the battery compartment, per the BBC. "The crew took all the necessary measures to protect the [nuclear power] unit, and it is in full working condition. This gives us hope that in quite a short time the vessel can be put back into service," said Shoigu.

The defense minister met with President Vladimir Putin on Thursday as hundreds of sailors gathered to mourn the deceased sailors on an island in the Gulf of Finland, per CBS News. All 14 of the deceased from a unit based in Peterhof have now been identified, per the BBC. They include seven first-rank captains, including two bestowed with the Hero of Russia, which is the country's highest honorary title. The defense ministry also confirmed several crew members survived the blaze. (More Russia stories.)