A video published by the Security Service of Ukraine shows a powerful explosion at the pier in close proximity to the submarine.
As a result of the strike, the submarine lost the ability to independently go to sea or carry out combat missions, the report said. This submarine carries Kalibr cruise missiles and was used to strike targets in Ukraine.
As of December 18, the submarine remains moored in the same position as when it was struck, and other Russian ships have been dispersed and withdrawn from the Novorossiysk base as a precaution to reduce the risk of possible further Ukrainian strikes, intelligence officials said.
“Ukraine’s successful strike, which managed to overcome the multi-level defense system of Novorossiysk, clearly demonstrates the rapidly growing level of training and combat capabilities of the Ukrainian naval forces, especially in the field of using unmanned systems. With a high probability, this significantly undermines the confidence of the Russian military leadership in the effectiveness of measures to protect the forces of the Black Sea Fleet [страны-агрессора] Russia,” the message says.
