In latest blow to Black Sea fleet, Ukraine claims sinking Russian submarine in Crimea

In the latest blow to Russia’s Black Sea fleet, Ukraine has claimed sinking a submarine in Crimea.

The Ukrainian military in a statement on Saturday said that it sunk the Russian submarine Rostov-on-Don in the port of Sevastopol on Friday, according to CNN.

“The boat sank on the spot,” the statement was quoted as saying.

The statement further said that the sinking of the submarine “proves once again that there is no safe place for the Russian fleet in Ukrainian territorial waters of the Black Sea”.

The sinking of Rostov-on-Don has not been independently confirmed so far. If confirmed, it would be the latest blow to Russia’s Black Sea fleet that has already lost up to a third of its vessels, according to Western estimates, which say the number of damaged or lost vessels is as high as 20-26.

More from World

Nepal's new PM pays homage to people died during the Gen Z protest in her first national address This Week in Explainers: How recovering from Gen-Z protests is a Himalayan task for Nepal

Even as the sinking of the submarine is not confirmed, it has been reported that Ukraine has struck Rostov-on-Don before.

The CNN quoted the Ukrainian military as saying that the submarine was “severely damaged” in a missile attack in September 2023.

Ukraine hits Russian airfield, oil depots

The purported attack on Rostov-on-Don submarine was part of the broader Russian attack on airfields and oil depots.

In recent months, Ukraine has been striking deep inside Russian territories and in Russia-held Ukrainian territories. The targets include military facilities, military factories, and oil refineries and depots.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

The Ukrainian government said the attack on Friday struck targets Belgorod, Kursk, and Rostov regions, according to Reuters.

The military also damaged four launchers of the S-400 anti-aircraft “Triumf” defence system, according to the statement.

The agency further reported Ukraine as saying that the attack also hit an ammunition depot at Morozovsk airfield where Russian keeps guided aerial bombs.