Damage to ‘Rostov-on-Don’ in September 2023.Via social media
If confirmed, this strike would mark a significant embarrassment for the already beleaguered Russian Black Sea Fleet.
In what would be an unprecedented event, the Russian Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine ‘Rostov-on-Don’, part of the Black Sea Fleet, has reportedly been struck by a Ukrainian missile for the second time in less than a year.
On or just before Saturday, the 10-year-old ‘Rostov-on-Don’ was docked in the port of Sevastopol, located in Russian-occupied Crimea, when it was allegedly hit by a Ukrainian cruise missile. According to the Ukrainian defense ministry, the submarine sank following the attack.
“Great work, warriors,” the ministry commented. “The Black Sea fish will enjoy their new home.”
While initial satellite imagery of Sevastopol post-attack is intriguing, it remains inconclusive, depicting possible but unconfirmed damage.
Should further evidence verify the sinking, it would mark a profound embarrassment for the Black Sea Fleet, which, at its peak, boasted around three dozen large warships, vastly outmatching the small Ukrainian navy at the onset of Russia’s broader war on Ukraine 29 months ago.
However, despite significant losses, the Ukrainian navy persisted, often coordinating attacks with the air force. Utilizing drone boats and cruise missiles, the Ukrainians have managed to destroy or damage a third of the Russian fleet’s vessels, including the flagship missile cruiser ‘Moskva’, which was sunk by Ukrainian missiles in April 2022.
The ‘Rostov-on-Don’ has been an unfortunate casualty of this ongoing conflict. On September 13, 2023, a Ukrainian air force Sukhoi Su-24 bomber launched what were likely British-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles at Sevastopol, hitting both ‘Rostov-on-Don’ and a neighboring amphibious ship while they were in drydock for maintenance.
The missile strike inflicted severe damage on the 240-foot, 3,100-ton submarine, with its two-part tandem warhead piercing the hull and detonating inside. Subsequent photos revealed significant internal and external damage.
Despite this, Russian efforts to repair and return the ‘Rostov-on-Don’ to service continued, even as the Black Sea Fleet relocated its remaining ships from vulnerable Crimean ports to safer ports in southern Russia.
By this summer, the ‘Rostov-on-Don’ was nearly alone in Sevastopol. After substantial repairs, the submarine reportedly left drydock in June for trial runs in the harbor.
These trials may have been underway when the Ukrainians allegedly targeted ‘Rostov-on-Don’ again, possibly using another Storm Shadow missile, a similar French-made SCALP-EG missile, or a locally-produced Neptune missile.
Kyiv’s defense ministry expressed confidence in the attack’s success. “A Russian submarine went to the bottom of the Black Sea,” the ministry announced. However, we should await more concrete evidence before concluding that ‘Rostov-on-Don’ endured the extreme embarrassment of being struck and sunk twice within 11 months.
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