The SSV-33 Oural was a massive Soviet spy ship, measuring 265 meters in length, and powered by a nuclear reactor. Built in the Baltic Yard in what is now Saint Petersburg, Russia, it was launched in May 1983 and officially joined the navy in January 1989. The ship was designed to monitor American missile tests in the Pacific and was equipped with advanced listening and computing systems, making it one of the most technologically advanced vessels of its time. It had a standard displacement of 32,780 tons and was capable of operating independently for up to 180 days due to its nuclear propulsion system, which was based on technology used in Kirov-class nuclear cruisers. The Oural made its first journey from Leningrad to Vladivostok in 59 days, with a stop in Cam Ranh, Vietnam. However, its operational life was cut short in the summer of 1990 when a serious fire broke out in the rear engine compartment. The fire damaged the ship’s generators and electrical systems, and one of the two nuclear reactors was hit, causing cooling issues that could not be resolved. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to a lack of funding for major repairs, and the damaged reactor was never restored. Without a dock large enough to handle such a massive ship, the Oural remained mostly moored in Strelok Bay, near Vladivostok, for most of its remaining years. According to the environmental NGO Bellona, the Oural conducted only one actual patrol during its entire career. Most of the time, it was immobilized and later served as a floating dormitory for young naval officers. The ship was officially removed from the Russian navy’s records on December 27, 2002. In 2010, the process of scrapping the vessel began, and a new contract was signed in February 2016 to complete the dismantling, which was expected to cost around one billion rubles. The final remnants of the ship were removed by 2018, marking the end of a long and largely unproductive existence.