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Kremlin officials confirmed that details of the blaze which killed the 14 crew aboard the deep-sea submersible will not be made public.

Vlaidmir Putin's government said the report included "classified information" – fuelling speculation around the blaze.

It is believed the submarine was a AS-12 research vessel – also known as Losharik – according to reports in Russia.

Launched in 2003, Losharik is a nuclear-powered sub designed for research.

US defence chiefs have however branded it a "sabotage vessel" capable of cutting underwater cables.

No details have been released into the start of the fire, with conflicting reports over the deaths of the crew.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "This information cannot be made public completely. It belongs to the category of state secrets.

"It is completely normal when this kind of information is not made public. [It is] within the law of the Russian Federation."

Peskov said that "no decision has been made" about a period of mourning in the northern Russia.

He also confirmed the Putin was informed immediately of the disaster at sea.

(Image: EAST2WEST)

It has been reported that the crew members were killed by burns with "poisoned products" in the disaster.

Conflicting reports by press in Russia indicate the tragic crew members actually died from smoke inhalation.

The submarine was operating in Russian waters and is now heading to the Severomorsk naval base after the incident in the Barents Sea.

Russia's defence ministry confirmed the disaster yesterday and first pictures of the crew have begun to emerge.

(Image: GETTY)

Moscow has denied claims of a gas explosion and continued to give few details of the disaster on the highly sensitive deep-sea boat.

All the officers victims were listed from “top secret” military unit number 45707 based in Peterhof, reported Kommersant.

The captain of the vessel – named as Denis Dolonsky – is understood to have died in the disaster.

He was awarded Hero of Russia – Putin's top honour – around six years ago for “Arctic and Antarctic research works”.

(Image: GETTY) (Image: GETTY)

Another victim was reported to be Andrey Voskresensky, who was the son-in-law of Russian rear admiral Vladimir Bederdinov.

Bederdinov had been head of the Russian Navy Training Centre in Sosnovy Bor for 13 years.

And another captain died on the mission, named as Nikolay Filin – who had also been awarded the Hero of Russia.

In all seven first rank sea captain were killed on board the submarine while deployed on an unknown secret mission.

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Up to five survivors were rescued from the stricken vessel and taken to a military hospital in the closed Arctic Northern Fleet naval base of Severomorsk.

The bodies of the dead have been brought to the same hospital, it was reported.

Forensic experts are now working in the hospital, establishing the reason for death of those killed submarines.

Russian media has reported in one account that the 14 crew gave their lives attempting to save the submarine.

(Image: GETTY)

The Losharik can fit a maximum of 25 sailor, and is capable of diving as deep as 6,000 metres (19,700 feet) compared with around 600 metres for normal submarines.

Normal submarines cannot sink below 600 metres (1,970 ft).

Russia has only said that the accident occurred when the submersible was conducting bathymetric measurements in Russian territorial waters.

It did not explain why there had been a delay in announcing the accident which it was claimed happened on Monday.

(Image: GETTY)

Paying tribute to his sailors, Putin said: "This is a big loss for the fleet, and in general for the army.

"The crew was highly professional. Of the 14 dead, seven were first rank captains and two were Heroes of Russia.”

Russia's president has sent minister Sergei Shoigu to investigate the incident and establish what happened to the submarine.

Putin added: "It is not an ordinary vessel, as we know. It is a scientific-research vessel, its crew is highly professional.”