Somewhere at the bottom of the Kara Sea, a region known for its harsh Arctic conditions and thick ice cover, lies the wreck of the Soviet submarine K-27. This vessel, damaged in a nuclear accident in 1968, was intentionally sunk in 1982 at a depth of just 33 meters—far shallower than the 3,000 meters recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for safely disposing of nuclear submarines. The K-27 still contains two reactors cooled with a liquid alloy of lead and bismuth, which remain loaded with nuclear fuel. Despite this, radiation levels around the wreck were found to be stable during a scientific survey in 2006. A joint Russian-Norwegian plan aims to recover the submarine between 2028 and 2031, following the removal of another nearby wreck, the K-159, and before addressing five other similar nuclear submarines scattered across the Arctic. The K-27 was a unique vessel, part of the Soviet Navy’s November class and one of the first submarines to use a novel and risky technology: reactors cooled with a liquid metal alloy of lead and bismuth, instead of the more common water-based systems. This design aimed to provide more power and reduce detectability, but it also proved highly unstable. On May 24, 1968, a malfunction in the control rods caused a major nuclear accident, killing nine sailors and exposing others to radiation. The submarine, severely damaged, was never again used at sea. After being officially decommissioned in 1979, the Soviet Navy faced a dilemma: how to safely handle a radioactive vessel that was too dangerous to repair or operate. For nearly a decade, Soviet engineers considered replacing the damaged reactor with a conventional one, but the complexity and cost of such an operation proved too great. By 1981, the decision was made to sink the submarine in the Kara Sea, a method known as "liquid burial." Engineers poured 270 tons of a mixture of bitumen, concrete, and furfuryl alcohol into the reactor compartment, hoping to encapsulate the radioactive material. The scuttling took place on September 6, 1982, in a shallow fjord near the New Siberian Islands. The choice of a shallow site—only 33 meters deep—contradicted IAEA guidelines, which recommended much greater depths to prevent radioactive contamination of marine life and ocean currents. Since its sinking, the K-27 has been monitored closely by Russian and Norwegian scientists, who have noted stable radiation levels during their most recent survey in 2006. However, concerns remain as the submarine’s hull continues to corrode due to the icy waters and fluctuating temperatures of the region. To address these risks, a joint Russian-Norwegian recovery plan has been developed. The wreck of the K-159, another nuclear submarine, is scheduled for removal between 2025 and 2028, with the K-27 targeted for recovery between 2028 and 2031. Following this, five other nuclear submarines scattered across the Arctic will be addressed between 2029 and 2032.