Photo credit: @MT_Anderson / Twitter
September 13, 2023. Posted by Balkan
Periscope - Hellas
Reports are
surfacing that a KILO class submarine under the command of the Russian Navy has
potentially been targeted by Ukraine in Sevastopol, as asserted by submarine
expert H I Sutton in a tweet, although confirmation remains pending at this
juncture.
Images
currently in circulation indeed reveal a Ropucha Class landing ship engulfed in
flames. Russian sources allude to damage to two vessels. Analytical studies
done by @MT_Anderson mark the other likely casualty as a KILO class submarine,
identified based on its location in an identical dry dock as the burning ship.
Sutton has
divulged, although yet to indulge in a comprehensive analysis, that the
affected KILO seems to bear semblance to a Pr.636.3 Improved-KILO. He reveals
that Russia commands four of these in the Black Sea, in addition to a single
Pr.877 KILO, baptized as Alrosa, distinguished by its pump jet.
Russia
confirms the attack
According
to an official
statement by the Russian Ministry of Defense, the Ukrainian Armed Forces [AFU] launched a
tactical assault on the S. Ordzhonikidze ship repair plant [SRZ] in Sevastopol,
employing ten potent cruise missiles in their operation. Notably, seven of
these airborne threats were successfully neutralized by efficient air defense
mechanisms.
The ‘two ships’
Multiple
channels on Telegram have corroborated the reports of the Ukrainian offensive,
indicating instances of maritime infrastructure damage. A transmission from the
renowned Telegram outlet, SHOT, detailed that “the onslaught on Sevastopol bay
inflicted damage on two vessels: The B-237 Submarine named Rostov-on-Don and
the Ropucha-class landing ship christened Minsk. In addition to this structural
damage, the distressing loss of two lives and injury to 26 individuals were
further consequences.”
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