Putin reveals that secret submarine hit by deadly fire was nuclear-powered

Russian President disclosed for the first time on Thursday that a secret military submarine hit by a fatal fire three days ago was nuclear-powered.

Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed the information in a meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

Shoigu assured the President the nuclear reactor was contained.

"The nuclear reactor on the vessel is completely isolated," Shoigu told Putin, according to a Kremlin transcript. "All the necessary measures were taken by the crew to protect the reactor, which is in complete working order."

The fire erupted in the submarine's battery compartment, Shoigu added, and later spread.

Fourteen sailors were killed in the blaze as they were carrying out a survey of the sea floor near the Arctic, in what Putin described as a 'huge loss for the navy'.

Moscow's slow release of information about the incident has drawn comparisons with the opaque way the Soviet Union handled the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power station disaster, and another deadly submarine accident -- the 2000 sinking of the nuclear-powered Kursk, which claimed 118 lives.

Russia, which says the details of the submarine involved in the latest accident are classified, said the fire took place on Monday, though it was only officially disclosed late on Tuesday.

Until Thursday there was also no official word on whether the vessel had a nuclear reactor, despite strong interest from neighbouring Norway.

Shoigu, a close Putin ally, told the president that the submarine, which authorities said had been operating in the Barents Sea area, would be fully repaired.

"Right now, we are assessing how long it will take, how much work there is, and how we can carry it out," he said.