Ukraine claims destruction of Russian submarine in Crimea

Ukrainian sources claim that the Project 636.3 class Rostov-on-Donu submarine, which was hit and severely damaged in the missile attack last September, was hit and sank in Sevastopol.

The Rostov-on-Donu, a kilo-class attack submarine launched in 2014, was reportedly destroyed in the attack on Sevastopol on Friday.

Details of attack

According to Ukraine’s General Staff, the Rostov-on-Donu sank following the missile strike. This submarine was one of four operated by Russia’s Black Sea fleet capable of launching Kalibr cruise missiles. The Russian Defence Ministry has not yet commented on the incident.

This region has been under Russian control since its illegal annexation in 2014.

Background, recent repairs

The U.K. Intelligence officials noted that the Rostov-on-Donu had “likely suffered catastrophic damage” in a missile strike while undergoing maintenance at a Sevastopol shipyard last September.

After subsequent repairs, Russia had been testing the vessel’s capabilities near Sevastopol.

“The destruction of Rostov-on-Don once again proves that there is no safe place for the Russian fleet in the Ukrainian territorial waters of the Black Sea,” stated Ukraine’s general staff.

Pattern of naval setbacks for Russia

This attack is the latest in a series of assaults on Russian naval forces in Sevastopol in recent months. In March, Ukraine claimed to have hit two landing ships and a patrol vessel in the port city.

Since the start of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow has faced several significant naval setbacks.

Ukraine asserts it has seriously damaged or sunk at least 15 Russian warships, including the Black Sea fleet’s flagship, the Moskva.

Recently, Ukraine’s military reported Russia had been forced to withdraw all of its naval assets from the Sea of Azov because of repeated strikes on its vessels.

Broader impacts, further attacks

The Russian Internal Security Service, the FSB, recently claimed to have foiled a Ukrainian plot to destroy its last remaining aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov. This ship has been undergoing repairs since 2018.

Ukrainian drones have also targeted a major airfield and oil depots in Russia. Oil storage facilities were targeted in the Rostov, Kursk and Belgorod regions.