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New information is surfacing over the months-long mystery surrounding the sinking of a Russian cargo ship off the coast of Spain, with investigators now suspecting the vessel may have been secretly transporting submarine nuclear reactor technology to North Korea. The Ursa Major, a Russian cargo ship linked to the state-owned company Oboronlogistics, sank under unexplained circumstances roughly 60 miles off Spain's southeastern coast on December 23, 2024, after a series of suspicious explosions ripped through the vessel. According to a CNN investigation, the ship was allegedly carrying two nuclear reactors believed destined for North Korea's submarine program. CNN further reported that investigators increasingly suspect the vessel may have been deliberately targeted before the sensitive technology could reach Pyongyang.
The mysterious sinking remained largely quiet for months before new details from Spanish investigators and intelligence sources began emerging publicly. The Ursa Major had officially departed from St. Petersburg and was supposedly sailing toward Vladivostok in Russia's Far East. However, investigators quickly questioned why a ship carrying what was described as ordinary industrial cargo would take such a long maritime route between two Russian ports despite the country's extensive rail infrastructure. Spanish authorities later discovered undeclared heavy cargo containers aboard the vessel. According to CNN and Spanish newspaper La Verdad, the captain eventually admitted under questioning that the cargo included «nuclear reactor components similar to those used by submarines,» although he reportedly insisted no nuclear fuel was being transported at the time of the sinking.
The timing of the suspected shipment also raised major geopolitical concerns because it came shortly after North Korea deepened its military support for Russia's war in Ukraine. North Korean troops had reportedly been deployed to assist Russian operations, while Western intelligence agencies increasingly warned that Moscow could be repaying Pyongyang with advanced military and nuclear technology. Investigators believe the final destination of the shipment may not actually have been Vladivostok but rather the North Korean port city of Rason. According to CNN, a source familiar with the Spanish investigation said the Russian captain believed the vessel would eventually be diverted there to unload the reactor components. The cranes listed on the ship's manifest were also suspected to have been intended to help offload the unusually heavy cargo upon arrival in North Korea.
From the outside
Questions surrounding the sinking intensified further after investigators documented the unusual sequence of events during the ship's final hours. Spanish maritime rescue teams responded after the Ursa Major issued a distress call reporting explosions onboard. Crew members later told rescuers that three explosions had struck the vessel before it began listing heavily. Oboronlogistics later described the incident as «a targeted terrorist attack» and claimed the blasts caused «a 50 by 50 centimeter hole» in the hull. According to the company, «The deck of the ship was covered with shrapnel.» Spanish investigators also reportedly observed that the damaged metal around the breach appeared bent inward, fueling speculation that the ship may have been struck from the outside rather than damaged by an internal accident or fire.
CNN's investigation further reported that Russian military activity around the wreck continued long after the ship disappeared beneath the Mediterranean Sea. According to information cited by the network, Russian military vessels returned to the site for nearly five days after the sinking. During that period, four additional explosions were reportedly detected around the wreckage area, leading investigators to suspect Russian forces may have been attempting to destroy sensitive remains resting on the seabed. The Ursa Major now lies approximately 2,500 meters below the surface. Reports also revealed that the Russian intelligence vessel Yantar later arrived at the wreck site equipped with advanced underwater surveillance and recovery systems. Spanish investigators reportedly suspected the operation aimed to inspect or eliminate evidence connected to the alleged nuclear cargo.
No public information
The incident has continued drawing international military attention throughout 2025 and 2026. According to reports, the United States deployed specialized “nuke sniffer” aircraft over the wreck zone on August 28, 2025 and again on February 6, 2026. The aircraft are equipped with technology capable of detecting radioactive material and nuclear traces from the atmosphere, although no public information has been released regarding whether anything unusual was detected over the Ursa Major wreckage. CNN reported investigators are also examining whether the ship may have been struck by a supercavitating torpedo, an advanced high-speed underwater weapon believed to be possessed only by a limited number of countries including the United States, Russia and several NATO allies. While the exact cause of the sinking officially remains unresolved, the growing body of evidence has transformed the Ursa Major disaster into one of the most sensitive and mysterious maritime incidents linked to Russia, North Korea and nuclear proliferation in recent years.
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