Russia has, for the first time, deployed three submarines capable of carrying cruise missiles in the Black Sea, according to Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk.
“Russia has for the first time sent to sea three submarines that are cruise missile carriers. In fact, these are all available in the Azov-Black Sea region,” Pletenchuk said in a Facebook post.
The move represents a significant naval buildup by Russian forces in the area. Pletenchuk noted the unusual nature of this deployment, saying, “Sometimes the Black Sea Fleet is called a submarine. Now, this is true.”
As of 6:00 am on 29 July, Russia had two ships in the Black Sea, both of which were Kalibr cruise missile carriers with a total salvo of up to 8 missiles, according to the Ukrainian Navy report.
The deployment of all available submarines in the region capable of carrying cruise missiles marks a notable shift in Russian naval strategy in the Black Sea. This development could potentially increase the threat of missile strikes against Ukrainian targets.
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