Russian submarine B - 585 Sankt Peterburg B - 585 " Sankt Peterburg " ( ; named after Saint Petersburg ) is the lead boat of the of the Russian Navy . The " Lada " class is the fourth - generation of diesel - electric submarine s designed and constructed in the former Soviet Union and Russia to replace the . Construction of the boat started in December 1997 , and she was launched in October 2004 . After undergoing a series of sea trials , " Sankt Peterburg " was commissioned in May 2010 . However , the Russian Navy decided not to accept the " Lada " class after it was discovered that the boat ' s propulsion and sonar systems were inadequate . As a result , " Sankt Peterburg " is the only operational boat of the class , with construction of two of her sister boats having been halted . Background and construction . " Sankt Peterburg " is first boat of Rubin Design Bureau ' s " Lada " class , of which a total of eight were expected to be procured by the Russian Navy . A less capable version , the " Amur " class , is marketed for export . Designed during the 1990s , the " Lada " class is intended to be the successor to the larger Kilo class . The Kilo class is considered to be one of the quietest diesel classes in operations , giving rise to the nickname " Black Hole " . Among the expected capabilities improvements of the " Lada " class over its predecessor were the incorporation of improved anechoic coating ( to minimize sonar contact ) , extended cruise range , and the upgrade to newer weapons for anti - submarine and anti - ship operations . " Lada " - class boats can also conduct reconnaissance and defend naval facilities and sea lanes . Amid a severe shortage of funds experienced during the 1990s following the dissolution of the Soviet Union , the keel of " Sankt Peterburg " was laid down on 26 December 1997 , in Saint Petersburg by Admiralty Shipyard . The company specialises in submarine construction , having built more than 300 boats , including the Victor - class and Alfa - class nuclear - powered submarine s . By 2006 , two more of " Sankt Peterburg " s sister boats , " Kronshtadt " and " Sevastopol " had had their keels laid down . " Sankt Peterburg " was launched on 28 October 2004 , to coincide with the 300th anniversary of Sankt Peterburg ' s founding , before undergoing several sea trials , to validate her systems , until 2009 . As of 25 February 2008 , " Sankt Peterburg " was part of the 13th Brigade of Ships Under Repair and Construction ( military unit number 22875 ) , Leningrad Naval Base . Operational history . On 6 May 2010 , " Sankt Peterburg " was commissioned into the Russian Navy , signalling the official start of her operational service . The boat thereafter underwent combat training with the Baltic Fleet and participated in a naval parade and an exercise . At the same time , she continued sea trials until late 2011 . Despite having been commissioned , in November 2011 the Russian Navy decided that the " Lada " class would not be accepted into service , as " Sankt Peterburg " has fallen far short of requirements during trials . According to " Izvestia " , the main drawback was the propulsion unit ' s inability to produce half of the expected power , along with the inefficiency of the sonar system . With the construction of the other two " Lada " - class submarines being halted , the Russian Navy ordered additional Improved Kilo - class submarines . The decision to reject the " Lada " class was confirmed in February 2012 by Russian Navy Commander - in - Chief Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky , who stated , " The Russian Navy does not need the " Lada " in its current form . " " Sankt Peterburg " would remain an experimental prototype .