August 30, 2009: Russia is naming the fourth of its Borei class SSBN (ballistic missile carrying nuclear submarines) Syvatitel Nikolay (Saint Nicholas). That's the same Saint Nicholas who serves as the model for Santa Claus in the West. In Russia, Saint Nicholas is renowned for saving drowning sailors. Also known as "Nicholas the Wonderworker", the Russians may be trying to give their troubled Borei class boats a little supernatural help. But for kids in the West, Old Saint Nick now has his own nuclear sub. No one has ever named a nuclear submarine after Saint Nicholas before.
