Officer Committed Suicide aboard Nuclear Sub

RIA Novosti

14:45 13/02/2012 MOSCOW, February 13 (RIA Novosti) - Senior Lieutenant Maxim Galkin who was serving aboard the Gepard nuclear submarine committed suicide, Alexander Kuratov, spokesman of military investigation committee of the North Fleet said on Monday.

"The incident occurred aboard the Gepard nuclear submarine late at night on February 11. Lieutenant Maxim Galkin hanged himself but a suicide note has not been found. The investigation is underway," Kuratov said.

The investigators are trying to find out whether the officer committed suicide voluntarily or was forced to take his own life.

The Gepard nuclear submarine was to go to the open sea for military exercises but if the investigation committee initiates a criminal case into suicide of the officer then the trials at sea will be postponed.