The Veliki Novgorod, the fifth submarine in Russia's Varshavyanka class, has joined the sea service. The Krasnodar, a ship from the same class that entered service last year, is shown here. Russian Ministry of Defense photo

MOSCOW, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- The Veliki Novgorod, the fifth submarine in Russia's Varshavyanka class, has joined the sea service.

The non-nuclear project 636.3 boat was formally inducted curing a ceremony at the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.


It was built for the Black Sea Fleet in a class that will eventually comprise six submarines.

The first two boats in the class for the Black Sea Fleet, The Novorossiysk and The Rostov-on-Don, were delivered in 2014, while another two, The Krasnodar and The Stary Oksol, came into service last year.

Project 636.3's final sub, The Kolpino, is expected to enter service by the end of 2016.

The Pacific Fleet is then slated to receive six Varshavyanka-class boats, with the final sub in that order to be delivered by the same shipyard by 2021.