Fishing Boat, Russian Nuclear Submarine Collide

Russian news agencies report that a fishing boat and a Russian nuclear-powered submarine have collided off Rusisa's Pacific coast, damaging the outer shell of the naval vessel but causing no radiation leak.

The nuclear reactor of the submarine "St. George the Conqueror" was unaffected and radiation levels after thes incident in Avachin Bay off Kamchatka Peninsula were normal.

Russia has the second-largest submarine fleet in the world, after the United States.

It is building a new fleet of nuclear submarines due to carry the next generation of "Bulava" missiles, which may be operational as early as next year.

In 2000, the nuclear submarine "Kursk" sank in the Barents Sea after explosions on board, killing all 118 seamen.

compiled from agency reports