Known as “Black Hole”, this submarine is distinguished by its hull’s ability to absorb sound, making it practically undetectable by its own systems.
This is an unprecedented moment in the conflict in Ukraine. Ukrainian naval drones struck a Varshavyanka-class submarine in the Russian port of Novorossiysk in the last few hours. According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), this is the first time in history that a Russian submarine of this type has been hit by underwater drones, having suffered critical damage that has put it out of service.
“The stricken vessel was forced to remain in the port of Novorossiysk due to the success of special operations carried out by surface naval drones,” the SBU wrote in a post on Telegram this Monday.
According to the website, the pioneering action was carried out by Sub Sea Baby underwater drones and resulted in an explosion on board the Project 636.3 submarine, known in NATO designation as the Kilo class. According to the SBU, four Kalibr cruise missile launchers were on board, weapons used by Russia in attacks against Ukrainian territory.
The operation was described as a “joint effort” by the 13th Main Directorate of Military Counterintelligence of the SBU and the Ukrainian Navy. In a statement, the agency also highlighted the financial impact of the attack, recalling that a Varshavyanka-class submarine has an estimated cost of around 400 million dollars, “which could reach 500 million due to international sanctions currently in force.”
Known as the “Black Hole”, these submarines are distinguished by their hull’s ability to absorb sound, making them practically undetectable by their own systems. Even so, the vessel was forced to remain in the port of Novorossiysk after the operation considered “successful”, also leading to the temporary withdrawal of Russian ships and submarines from the Bay of Sevastopol, in occupied Crimea.
