Rostov-on-Don submarine sinking heightens risks for Russian fleet in Crimea – British intelligence

Great Britain's intelligence has analyzed the latest Ukrainian attack on the Russian submarine Rostov-on-Don, which led to the sinking of the submarine.

The British Ministry of Defense reported this.

They called this incident "the last chapter in the history of the submarine."

According to British analysts, the attack took place as part of a series of drone strikes, but ATACMS missiles most likely played a crucial role in it.

British intelligence said the submarine was likely not fully repaired after the previous attack on Crimea in September 2023.

Furthermore, the British Ministry of Defense stressed that this attack would mark the end of the Rostov-on-Don submarine's history, as building a new one would be more cost-efficient than restoring and repairing the damaged vessel.

While the incident is a significant morale booster for Ukrainian forces, it is unlikely to have a significant impact on Russia's ability to launch long-range strikes on Ukraine from the Black Sea, according to British intelligence.

In its review, the British Ministry of Defense stressed that the strike highlights the growing risks to Russian forces in Crimea and is likely to force Russia to reconsider any plans to redeploy significant naval forces to the peninsula.

For reference:

On August 3 it became known that in the temporarily occupied Crimea, the Defense Forces of Ukraine struck an enemy submarine and an anti-aircraft missile complex S-400.

The submarine B–237, also known as "Rostov-on–Don," is a member of the Kilo class, as classified by NATO. It is among one of four Kilo-class submarines equipped with the capability to utilize Kalibr missiles.

It was commissioned on December 26, 2014.

On September 13, 2023, as a result of a Ukrainian missile attack, the ship was seriously damaged. Later, it was repaired and tested in the water area of ​​the Sevastopol harbor.

The cost of the submarine is estimated at 300 million dollars.

"The destruction of Rostov-on-Don once again proves that there is no safe place for the Russian fleet in the Ukrainian territorial waters of the Black Sea. We thank the Ukrainian soldiers for their professional work! There will be more to come…" the message reads.

It is worth adding that the spokesman of the Navy of Ukraine's armed forces, captain of the third rank Dmytro Pletenchuk, said that there are no safe locations left for enemy ships in Crimea; therefore, the tactics of the command of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation are reduced to minimizing the risks of destroying their ships and boats.