[1][2] Its objective is to operate submarines that are able to dive deep into the sea, in order to gather intelligence or to work with installations on the seabed, including sabotage.
[3][4][5] Its original target was the Western surveillance systems of submarines from the Soviet Union[6] and it is able to eavesdrop and sever the fiber optic cables crossing the seas.
Allegedly, Military unit No 45707 is headquartered at Petergof and is responsible for the testing and operation of deep-sea nuclear power plants by employing aquanauts, who are also known as hydronauts, in reconnaissance activities including maintaining Russian underwater communication cables, eavesdropping on submarine communication cables, installing underwater motion sensors, and collecting wreckage from ships, aircraft, and satellites off the seabed especially the remains of secret Russian equipment left over from tests or accidents.
The bathyscaphes "Rus" and nuclear deep-water stations (AGS) "Losharik", "Nelma", "Kashalot", which work on the seabed at depths from 500 to 6000 meters, are in the 10th detachment of hydronauts (military unit 45707).
The 15th Central Research Laboratory of the Ministry of Defense of Russia (Russian: 15-я центральная научно-исследовательская лаборатория Минобороны России (15 ЦНИЛ ВМФ)) supported military unit 45707 efforts.