Ukraine’s military has reported that it destroyed a Russian submarine in Crimea. The submarine, called the Rostov-on-Don, was a Kilo-class vessel from 2014. It sank after a missile strike on the port city of Sevastopol on Friday, according to Ukraine’s general staff.
The Rostov-on-Don was one of four Russian submarines capable of launching Kalibr cruise missiles. The Russian defense ministry has not yet commented on the attack. Ukrainian officials also said that the strike hit four S-400 air defense systems, which were meant to protect the peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014.
UK intelligence had previously noted that the Rostov-on-Don likely suffered significant damage from a missile strike while undergoing repairs in Sevastopol last September. Ukraine’s military said Russia had repaired the submarine, which was recently tested near Sevastopol. The submarine was valued at $300 million.
This attack is part of a series of recent strikes on Russian naval forces in Sevastopol. In March, Ukraine claimed it hit two landing ships and a patrol vessel in the same port city. Since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine says it has either damaged or sunk at least 15 Russian warships, including the flagship Moskva of the Black Sea fleet.
Recently, Ukraine’s military also reported that Russia had to withdraw its naval assets from the Sea of Azov due to repeated Ukrainian attacks. Additionally, Russia’s FSB claimed to have thwarted a Ukrainian attempt to destroy its last remaining aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, which has been under repair since 2018.
In other news, Ukrainian drones targeted a major airfield and oil depots in Russia. The Morozovsk airfield, known for storing guided bombs, was hit, causing explosions and fires. The Russian authorities declared a state of emergency around the airbase. Oil storage facilities in the Rostov, Kursk, and Belgorod regions were also attacked.
These attacks come after Russia launched over 600 guided air bombs at Ukraine in a week. President Volodymyr Zelensky said stopping these attacks was crucial and that hitting Russian airfields was justified.
Ukraine has received F-16 fighter jets from its allies, which it hopes will strengthen its air defenses. Reports indicate that six jets from the Netherlands have arrived in Ukraine, though Dutch officials have not confirmed this. Ukraine’s officials hope these jets will help counter Russian advances, particularly in the eastern front where Moscow’s forces have been making slow progress.