Ukraine Sinks Russian Submarine Worth $300 Million, Proving Why Western Weapons Are Crucial

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have confirmed a successful strike on military bases in Crimea. First, they managed to destroy the S-400 air defense system. Second, the ‘Rostov-on-Don’ submarine has finally sunk. Russia continues to lose its Black Sea fleet, which Ukraine is destroying with successful strikes using Western long-range missiles and its own fleet of unmanned marine drones.

Russian submarine ‘Rostov-on-Don’

The ‘Rostov-on-Don’ submarine is one of seven submarines in the Black Sea Fleet. It is also one of four submarines capable of launching Kalibr missiles, which Russia constantly uses to bombard Ukraine. The crew consists of 52 people, with an autonomy of about 45 days. It can dive to a maximum depth of 300 meters and reach speeds of up to 20 knots. This is a diesel-electric submarine.

‘Rostov-on-Don’ is a ‘Project Warschawjanka’ submarine. It received this name because, in the 1970s, when these submarines were being developed and built, Moscow planned to export them to allied countries in the Warsaw Pact, such as Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, these ships began to be exported worldwide, including to China. According to NATO classification, ‘Rostov-on-Don’ is a Kilo-class submarine.

‘Rostov-on-Don’ is a multi-purpose submarine designed for combat against other submarines and surface targets, protecting naval bases, and patrolling coastal areas.

It has been in service since December 2014 and in the Black Sea since February 2022, just before the full-scale invasion.

Destruction

‘Rostov-on-Don’ was first damaged on September 13, 2023. At that time, Ukraine also attacked the Crimean Peninsula, causing serious damage to the submarine's bow and central sections. Despite the significant damage, Russia claimed it could repair and return the submarine to service.

However, during a nighttime attack on August 2, 2024, this became impossible. According to the General Staff, the Russian submarine ‘Rostov-on-Don’ is now completely sunk. The attack targeted the waters of a repair plant where the submarine was being restored, making further repairs impossible.

The cost of the submarine is approximately $300 million.

Western weapons

The General Staff of Ukraine has not disclosed which weapon was used in the August 2 attack on the Crimean Peninsula, but it is likely the same long-range Storm Shadow / SCALP missiles used previously. These missiles have a range of up to 300 km, sufficient to attack military targets on the Crimean Peninsula.

For Ukraine, the supply of these missiles, as well as long-range ATACMS missiles, is critical for striking military bases, airfields, and Russian logistics in Crimea. These missiles are needed in significant quantities because there are dozens of Russian military targets on the Crimean Peninsula. With the arrival of F-16s in Ukraine, the offensive potential will increase and needs to be fully utilized. As previous experience shows, Ukraine can effectively use Western assistance: in two years, the Black Sea Fleet has lost almost all its large landing ships, the flagship cruiser Moskva, a submarine, and many other vessels.