Ukrainian drones destroy Russian submarine for first time in history
Illustrative photo: SBU drones strike Russian submarine (Russian media)
Drones operated by Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) attacked a Russian submarine in the port of Novorossiysk. This is the first such case in history, according to the SBU.
"For the first time in history, Sub Sea Baby underwater drones detonated a Russian Project 636.3 Varshavyanka class submarine (NATO designation: Kilo). The explosion caused critical damage, effectively putting the submarine out of action," the Security Service said.
They noted that the submarine carried four Kalibr cruise missile launchers, which Russia uses to strike Ukrainian territory.
The submarine was destroyed as part of an operation by the SBU's 13th Main Directorate of Military Counterintelligence and the Ukrainian Navy. The cost of a Varshavyanka-class submarine is approximately $400 million, while under anti-Russian sanctions, construction could reach $500 million.
This class of submarines is also known as the Black Hole due to its hull’s ability to absorb sound and remain difficult to detect by sonar.
The SBU highlighted that the submarine was forced to remain in Novorossiysk because Ukrainian forces, using drones, had pushed Russian ships and submarines out of Sevastopol Bay in temporarily occupied Crimea.
Varshavyanka-class submarine
The Project 636.3 Varshavyanka is a diesel-electric, multi-purpose submarine designed for low noise and stealth. The 636.3 modification features an improved hydroacoustic shell.
The submarine is armed with six 533 mm torpedo tubes and a complement of torpedoes or cruise missiles launched through the tubes. The project can carry and fire Kalibr cruise missiles, usually up to four on board, launched via the torpedo tubes.
Notably, in 2023, a Ukrainian strike on temporarily occupied Crimea successfully hit the Russian submarine Rostov-on-Don.
