Previously Struck Russian Submarine Sunk in Fresh Ukrainian Missile Attack

Ukrainian forces claim major victory as missile strike sinks Russian submarine 'Rostov-on-Don' in Crimea, just months after repairs from previous attack in September.

“Ukrainian defense forces successfully attacked the B-237 ‘Rostov-na-Donu’ attack submarine in Sevastopol's port. As a result of the attack, the submarine sank,” Ukraine’s defense ministry confirmed.

The military detailed that the strike had "significantly damaged" four S-400 system launchers.

The Ukrainian military identified the submarine as the Kilo-class Rostov-on-Don, stating that it sank in the port of Sevastopol.

The General Staff noted, "As a result of the hit, the boat sank on the spot." This submarine, capable of launching Kalibr cruise missiles, had previously sustained "significant damage" in a Ukrainian missile attack in September but had been repaired. The military estimated the submarine's value at $300 million, Ukrainian media reported.

The Rostov-on-Don had been attacked by Storm Shadow missiles in September 2023 and was undergoing repair work in Sevastopol.

In addition to the submarine, the Ukrainian missile forces reportedly destroyed four S-400 air defense systems. The B-237 Rostov-on-Don submarine is one of four submarines in the Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet capable of firing the Kalibr cruise missile.

Related article: Russian Submarine Struck by Storm Shadow Missile Completes Hull Repair

“The destruction of Rostov-on-Don proves once again that there is no safe place for the Russian fleet in Ukrainian territorial waters in the Black Sea,” the statement added.

The B-237 submarine was transported to the 13th Ship Repair Facility at the Sevastopol Naval Shipyard by tugboats on June 1, 2024, and the attack was planned by closely monitoring this transfer. The B-237 submarine was laid down in 2011 and began its duties in the Russian Navy on December 26, 2014, serving in the Black Sea Fleet from 2014 to 2020 and in the Mediterranean between 2020 and 2022.

Ukraine's statement is part of a broader effort to target Russia's Black Sea Fleet and military assets in Crimea, occupied by Russian troops since 2014. Ukraine has consistently targeted Russian vessels since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, resulting in approximately 30% of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet being lost or disabled, according to the Ukrainian military. These strikes have compelled Moscow to relocate much of its naval forces from Crimea to the Russian port city of Novorossiysk, which has become a key port for the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

The Russian Defense Ministry has not responded to Ukraine's assertions regarding the reported strike. On August 2, residents in Crimea reported hearing multiple blasts in Sevastopol, Simferopol, and Yevpatoria, as reported by the Telegram channel Crimean Wind.

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russia-installed proxy head of Sevastopol, claimed without evidence that fragments of drones and U.S.-made missiles were found in the city after being downed by air defenses. Razvozhayev has not commented on Ukraine's August 3 statement about sinking the submarine or damaging the missile system.