Ukraine strikes Russian submarine in unprecedented underwater drone assault

Ukrainian officials announced on Monday that their underwater drones successfully struck and disabled a Russian Kilo-class attack submarine in an unprecedented operation.

This unprecedented operation targeted the Russian navy’s most important remaining Black Sea base, located in Novorossiysk.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) claimed responsibility for the strike, executed by its “Sub Sea Baby” drones.

The port of Novorossiysk has become a critical location for Russia, where many naval vessels have been rebased to protect them from Ukrainian attacks.

Footage released by the SBU showed a powerful explosion erupting from the water at a pier, close to where a submarine and other vessels were docked. Reuters confirmed the video’s location by examining the port’s layout and piers.

Alexander Kamyshin, an advisor to President Volodymyr Zelensky, wrote on X that it was the first time in history that an underwater drone had neutralised a submarine.

Ukraine, which has practically no naval fleet left, has used sea drones and missiles to harry Russia’s large naval Black Sea Fleet and dislodge it from its perch in the port city of Sevastopol on the occupied peninsula of Crimea.

The diesel-electric submarine was one of many vessels that Russia was forced to move from Crimea to Novorossiysk in southern Russia, the SBU said.

The submarine is capable of carrying at least four Kalibr-type cruise missiles, one of the workhorses of Russia’s massive strikes that in recent months have inflicted serious damage to the Ukrainian power grid.

Russia did not immediately comment publicly about the attack.

The strike comes amid a tense period of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations that have sparked fears among Ukrainians that they will be bullied to accept settlement terms with Russia that they see as tantamount to capitulation.

Ukraine has been trying to show it can inflict significant damage on Russia, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump said that Zelensky did not “have the cards” in the negotiations.

Ukrainian navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk said the operation to hit a submarine – the most difficult target to hit – marked “another turning point” in the naval battle between Ukraine and Russia.

“This day once again upends the perception of the possibilities of naval combat in this war,” he told Reuters.

It will be hard for Russia to repair the submarine as that would have to be done above water, which would mean the vessel would again be exposed to attack, he added.

Russia has now lost one of its four submarines stationed in Novorossiysk, three of which are Kalibr-carriers, Pletenchuk added.

Ukraine, which has been developing long-range drone and missile capabilities to narrow the gap with Russia’s large weapons arsenal, has been stepping up strikes on Russian oil, gas, power and military targets.

Source: independent.co.uk