On Friday, Ukraine’s military reported a significant victory by destroying the Russian submarine Rostov-on-Don in Crimea, dealing another blow to the Black Sea Fleet.
This successful attack took place in Sevastopol, a key port city on the southern Crimean peninsula. In addition, Ukraine targeted and “significantly damaged” four launchers of Moscow’s advanced S-400 air-defense systems.
Previously, in September 2023, the Rostov-on-Don, a Kilo-class submarine launched in 2014, had already been hit during a missile attack on a shipyard in Sevastopol. At that time, it was reported that the vessel faced “catastrophic damage” and might take years to repair.
Kyiv’s military indicated that the submarine sank immediately due to the latest strike, with an estimated cost of around $300 million.
Since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Ukraine has effectively utilized missiles and drones to target the Black Sea Fleet, particularly in and around Sevastopol, a region Russia annexed in 2014 and which Ukraine aims to reclaim.
This loss reinforces Ukraine’s statement that no area in Ukrainian waters is safe for the Russian fleet. Despite not possessing large warships, Ukraine has driven Russian vessels to relocate further from Sevastopol towards its Novorossiysk base, and there are indications of another base being established in Abkhazia.
Vice Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa of the Ukrainian navy commented that Moscow is “losing” its grip on Sevastopol, noting the mass relocation of combat-ready ships from the Black Sea Fleet’s primary base.
The British Defense Ministry reported that from February 2022 to June 2024, a total of 26 Russian vessels have been either damaged or destroyed in the Black Sea, with estimates suggesting that over a third of the fleet has been lost.
Remarkably, the Rostov-on-Don stands out as the only confirmed Russian submarine affected in the Black Sea during this conflict. Despite its notable submarine fleet, which is among the world’s largest and most advanced, Russia has faced serious setbacks at sea.