Kursk own-goal theory 'totally false'

Peter the Great: Russia denies it fired a fatal missile

Russia has said reports that the Kursk nuclear-powered submarine was sunk by an anti-ship missile fired by a Russian cruiser are "totally false".

Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov, who is leading the government's inquiry into last month's tragedy, said there was no shooting under way at the time the Kursk sank, and no live ammunition was used at all during training.

Missiles and torpedoes used in naval exercises do not carry warheads

Russian navy spokesman Igor Dygalo

Germany's Berliner Zeitung, quoting a report by the Russia's intelligence service the FSB, said the Kursk was sunk by a radar-guided Granit missile fired by the Kirov class nuclear-powered cruiser Peter the Great.

The Kursk was sent to the bottom of the Barents Sea with the loss of all 118 crewmen during exercises by Russia's Northern Fleet on 12 August.

Russian navy spokesman Igor Dygalo also insisted that the Berliner Zeitung report was false. "Missiles and torpedoes used in naval exercises do not carry warheads," he told the French AFP news agency.

Torpedo misfire theory

Berliner Zeitung said the "detailed report" showed the cruiser had fired the missile, which was fitted with a new hunting system.

The missile had ploughed through the water for some 20km (14 miles) then an underwater explosion was registered aboard the cruiser, followed by another moments later, the report said.

Mr Klebanov said the causes of the disaster would be known after a meeting of the government's commission of inquiry in Saint Petersburg on 13 September, Itar-Tass reported.

He repeated that the three possible scenarios were still under scrutiny: an explosion in the submarine's torpedo compartment, a collision with another submarine, or with an unexploded World War II mine.

US officials say they believe a torpedo misfire caused the tragedy.

Russian television RTR said on Thursday that the navy would start recovering the bodies of the dead sailors on the Kursk at the beginning of October.

The work would have to be done before temperatures in the Barents Sea dropped too low.