Alexander Kuzminykh (Russian: Александр Кузьминых), a 19-year-old seaman who was being detained on punishment charges, broke out from his quarters, killed his guard by stabbing him with a chisel, then seized his AKS-74U assault rifle and shot dead five more sailors.

The situation remained a standoff until early on the morning of 12 September, when a special anti-terrorist commando unit of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) stormed the torpedo room.

"[9] Kuzminykh was found fit when he was conscripted at a St. Petersburg enlistment office, even though he had suffered from a mental disorder and had been inhaling intoxicants.

When Kuzminykh volunteered for the submarine service, he passed additional medical and psychiatric tests with high marks.

[5][10][11] In the aftermath of the incident Russia made efforts to improve recruitment and monitoring of military personnel deployed on nuclear-powered vessels.