Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) announced on Monday (December 15) that Ukraine successfully used underwater drones to launch an attack on a Russian submarine docked at Novorossiysk port in the Black Sea, causing severe damage.
According to the report by “The War Zone”, the Ukrainian Security Service revealed that the operation deployed an underwater drone named “Sub Sea Baby” against the Russian submarine, identified as the 636.3 Varshavyanka-class submarine, also known as Kilo-class by NATO, which is an improved version of the Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine.
The Ukrainian Security Service stated that the operation was jointly conducted by its Military Counterintelligence Office No. 13 and the Ukrainian Navy. The explosion caused significant damage to the Russian submarine, rendering it inoperable. It remains unclear if there were any casualties.
The submarine carried four Kalibr cruise missile launchers, which Russia frequently uses to target Ukrainian territory.
Novorossiysk is no ordinary port. After the Russian Black Sea Fleet relocated its main forces, it has become one of the most strategically important rear bases for the Russian Navy in the Black Sea region. Submarines, cruise missiles, and supply facilities are concentrated in this port, making it a long-standing “relatively safe area.”
The Ukrainian Security Service provided a video of the submarine explosion as evidence, but independent verification of its authenticity is currently unavailable.
The Russian Ministry of Defense denied any damage to its submarine, stating that the information spread by the Ukrainian intelligence department about the “destruction” of a submarine at the Novorossiysk naval base of the Black Sea Fleet does not align with the facts. They emphasized that no ships, submarines, or crew were damaged in the base, and surface vessels are operating normally.
However, some Russian military bloggers acknowledged that a drone did hit the pier, claiming the damage was minor, but admitting that such close-range attacks serve as a warning.
“Sub Sea Baby” is a recent focus of Ukrainian development in underwater unmanned combat platforms. Unlike the frequent appearance of surface drones, underwater drones offer greater stealth and are harder to detect by radar and optical systems.
If the Russian submarine did indeed suffer an underwater drone attack and the damage is as stated by the Ukrainian Security Service, it not only marks a new chapter in world naval warfare history, particularly in the history of drone warfare, but it will also inflict significant economic losses on the Russian military.
A Varshavyanka-class submarine costs approximately $400 million, and under current international sanctions, the cost of building similar submarines may exceed $500 million.
This attack is the latest remote strike by Ukraine targeting Russian military and energy targets within Russia, with such actions occurring nearly daily now.
Earlier on the same day, the Ukrainian Security Service announced the third successful strike on Russian oil drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea. A few days ago, Ukrainian drones also targeted Russian refineries and multiple cargo ships in the Russian shadow fleet.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at an economic forum on Monday stated that despite ongoing diplomatic processes and negotiations that may bring the war closer to an end, Russia’s attacks continue daily.
Zelenskyy suggested that Putin is using brutal attacks as bargaining chips. He emphasized that Ukraine’s bargaining chips in negotiations are the ability to recover from attacks, produce weapons, counter-attack, and intercept Russian missiles and drones. He called on allies to continue supporting Ukraine in resisting Russia’s invasion.