The submarine’s arrival at the Kola Peninsula was reported by Severodvinsk daily Severny Rabochy. Although lacking confirmation, Bellona Web surmise that the sub docked at Zapadnaya Litsa base (Bolshaya Lopatka), where the Oscar-II class subs of the Northern Fleet have their home base.

Originally, "Tomsk" was scheduled to be commissioned by the end of 1996. Accordingly, the state supervising committee confirmed the readiness of the boat for active service last December. But the Navy decided otherwise; apparently finding the vessel not operational. The supervising committee is put together from representatives of the ship-building industry.

— In the end of December 1996, Severodvinsk yard was celebrating the commission of the new submarine "Tomsk" (Oscar-II class). The submarine is still in Severodvinsk pending its "final exams". In other words, the construction of the submarine is still not completed, said rear admiral Alexandr Smelkov at a meeting with Murmansk journalists in June.

The rear admiral was telling the truth, since by now it has taken 8 months "to examine and complete the particular systems and mechanisms of the boat, to complete the final testing cycle of the whole vessel" as it was officially put by Sevmash yard in Severodvinsk, which constructed "Tomsk".

The brand new nuclear cruiser "Peter the Great" arrived at the home base of the Northern Fleet, Severomorsk, on November 24 last year. Although commissioned by the yard, the vessel is still at Severomorsk awaiting funding for the "final exams". "Peter the Great" was to be assigned to the Pacific Fleet as well.