The written-off submarine sank in the Barents Sea in August 2003 during its transportation to the place of utilization. As a result, nine crewmen who stayed on board perished.
Admiral Gennady Suchkov who was removed from the post of commander of the Northern Fleet is a defendant in this case. The Main Military Prosecutor's Office of Russia charged him with dereliction of his duty which entailed people's death.
As chairman of the Fleet's tribunal Alexander Khomyakov told RIA Novosti, the first day of the trial will be devoted to organizational issues - the reading of the indictment which occupies a separate volume of the case, consideration of the sides' petitions, and explanation of the rights and duties of the participants in the trial to them.
The chairman of the tribunal specified that the court would interrogate 85 witnesses in the course of the trial. Seven of them will be summoned to the tribunal additionally, after the preliminary hearings of the case in the Fleet's tribunal on December 25.
The trial is being held in camera.
