Russia sinks own submarines in mysterious defence strategy
The Russians sank two of their submarines belonging to the Black Sea Fleet. Both units are located in the port of Novorossiysk and are kept partially submerged. This information was reported by the Ukrainian portal Defense Express. The Russians' exact objective with this tactic remains unclear.
Recently, the Russians themselves admitted that they do not know how to defend against attacks by Ukrainian maritime drones carried out under cover of night. In response, they began searching for suitable tools to increase the survival of their steadily shrinking Black Sea Fleet. Addressing these needs, the Russian company Laboratory PPSH started producing thermal vision systems for the Russian navy, among other things.
Recent actions at the port in Novorossiysk can be seen as an attempt to defend against Ukrainian threats. Photos from May 17, 2024, show two submarines sunk and partially submerged. The Russians sank these units in the standard berthing area for both submarines. But what is the purpose of this tactic?
Incomprehensible actions of the Russians in the naval port
Defense Express notes that this is not the first instance where the Russians have decided to sink their ships and leave them partially submerged. However, it is significant that this is an impractical action—especially for the Kilo-class units in Novorossiysk, which are responsible for carrying Kalibr missiles. Submerging the submarines in the port prevents the loading of ammunition.
Analysts note that the Russians may be sinking their machines to attempt to camouflage the boats from Ukrainian kamikaze drones. This potential explanation of the Russian Federation Army's behaviour is nuanced.
Partially sunken submarines are still visible to maritime drones before striking the target—their upper elements are visible, which can serve as a guide for the drones to conduct a precise attack. Defense Express suggests that the Russians want to camouflage the units from satellites by sinking their submarines.
As noted by the OSINT analyst MT_Anderson on platform X, the submerged submarines in Novorossiysk are Kilo-class units, meaning Russian machines produced since 1980. Their armament includes 533 mm torpedo launchers, 9K34, 9K310 Strela-3, Igla-1 missiles, and the most valuable missiles in the entire arsenal, Kalibr.
The latter type of ammunition comes in various variants. The most dangerous version is the 3M14, which has a range of 2,500 kilometres and is used to attack land targets. The 3M54 versions have a slightly shorter range, reaching almost 700 kilometres from the launch point, and are meant for attacking surface ships. The warhead of this type of missile weighs between 400 and 500 kilograms, depending on the version.
