Russian diesel-electric attack submarine Rostov-on-Don was sunk Friday in Sevastapol, international news outlets reported.
The BBC and Reuters, citing Ukrainian general staff online postings, said a missile attack sank the Kilo-class attack boat while it was at anchor in the Black Sea port.
This would be the second successful missile attack on the submarine in 11 months.
Then, the Ukrainian defense ministry reported the attack sank the boat, which proved false. Although heavily damaged in that attack, the sub was repaired and may have been undergoing service trials.
Russian government and military sources did not confirm the most recent attack.
The Ukrainian military also claims Friday’s attack “significantly damaged” four launchers attached to a Russian S-400 air defense system protecting the city on the Crimean peninsula. The S-400 is the Kremlin’s most advanced air defense system.
The Ukrainian defense ministry did not elaborate on the missiles it fired Friday or how the attack was carried out.
On June 24, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a release, “the Kiev regime, with support from the United States and its satellites, committed yet another heinous terrorist crime against civilians in Russia by firing missiles at Sevastopol. For their terrorist attack, they specially chose a day – Holy Trinity Sunday – one of the most important holidays celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church.”
The Kremlin said the missiles were American-made Army Tactical Missile System [ATACMS] guided by intelligence from United States satellites and a long-range reconnaissance drone.
Ukraine’s continuing sea drone and missile attacks caused Moscow to disperse most of the Black Sea Fleet to safer ports far from Crimea in southern Russia last year. Novorossik, one of Russia’s largest ports for the export of grain and oil, has been the destination of many the ships assigned to the fleet.
At least one-third of the 28 vessels assigned to it have been sunk or severely damaged. naval warfare experts told USNI News.
How safe those ports in southern Russia are from extended-range sea drone attacks is also open to question. The Ukrainian Navy boasted in July its advanced Sea Baby unmanned surface vessels could strike ships in that port.
