Orthodox priest and navy sailors light candles during a memorial service at Kronshtadt Navy Cathedral for 14 sailors who died in the Barents Sea in Kronshtadt, outside St. Petersburg, Russia, July 4, 2019. (Photo: IC)

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order on Friday to bestow posthumous honors to 14 submariners killed in a recent fire on one of the navy's research submersibles.

Putin gave the title Hero of Russia to four naval officers "for their courage and heroism displayed in the line of duty" and awarded the Order of Courage to the rest.

The fire started from the battery compartment of the submersible, which belongs to the Russian Northern Fleet, when it was working on the Barents Sea floor on Monday, killing 14 "unique military specialists and highly skilled professionals."

The nuclear reactor on board was not affected in the incident, and the Russian Defense Ministry has vowed to repair the vessel in a short time.