The Rostov-on-Don is one of Russia’s four Kilo-class submarines capable of firing Kalibr missiles (Picture: Erdem Sahin/EPA)
Russia appears to have lost a £257,000,000 submarine capable of deploying nuclear missiles after Ukraine claims to have sunk it.
The Rostov-on-Don was docked at Sevastopol, headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, when it was hit by missiles, Ukraine’s Armed Forces said on Saturday.
‘As a result of the impact, the boat sank on the spot’, the Ukrainian military said on social media.
‘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.’
This is the second time in a year that Ukraine claims to have hit the Rostov-on-Don.
Images from September 2023 show holes blown through the top and side of the 250-foot vessel by a Storm Shadow cruise missile.
Reports suggested the submarine would play no further role in Russia’s war in Ukraine after that.
The vessel was believed to be undergoing repairs at Sevastopol naval base in Crimea when it was hit for the second time.
The Rostov-on-Don sustained severe damage when it was hit by a cruise missile on September 13 last year (Picture: Conflict Intelligence Team/e2w)
The submarine was undergoing repairs when it was hit for a second time (Picture: Conflict Intelligence Team/e2w)
Its destruction is a major blow to Putin’s war effort, which has already been hampered by the retreat of his last Black Sea patrol ship after Ukrainian drones and missiles sunk or damaged a third of the fleet.
Built in 2014, Rostov-on-Don is one of just four Kilo-class submarines capable of launching Kalibrmissiles, which can carry nuclear warheads.
Naval reserve captain Andriy Ryzhenko said: ‘As I understand it, the fate of the submarine as a combat unit has already been completed.
‘This is a serious plus in the destruction of the enemy’s combat potential. During this period, we destroyed or significantly damaged three Kalibr carriers – this is a finished submarine and two ships.
‘Altogether, these are 20 Kalibrs that will no longer fly to our cities.’
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