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Updated May 26th, 2022 at 14:12 IST

Russia loads cruise missiles onto submarines amid threats of US attack on Black Sea fleet

Russia’s naval forces were seen loading four ‘nuclear-capable’ Kalibr missiles onto two of the six Varshavyanka submarines with land and sea attack capability.

Reported by: Zaini Majeed
Russia
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
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Russia is loading long-range naval sea-based cruise missiles on two of its Black Sea fleet submarines that have already sailed to the berths of Moscow’s Soviet-era naval base in the South Bay of Sevastopol near Heracles peninsula. A flurry of activity was recently witnessed at the strategically located only warm water base of Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet in the southwestern Crimean Peninsula on the Akhtiarska Bay in southern Ukraine. 

Russia’s naval forces were seen loading four ‘nuclear-capable’ Kalibr missiles onto two of the six Varshavyanka submarines with land and sea attack capability. The 3M-14 or SS-N-30A cruise missile designated as Kalibr is fired from submarines or warships on a land-based target such as the air defenses on the ground and has a range of approximately 1,550 miles.

Russia’s Grad Sviyazhsk corvette shoots a Kalibr missile during the final stage of summer exercises of the Caspian Flotilla’s battle groups. Credit: Denis Abramov/AP

On the 24th day of the war, Russian soldiers fired the Kalibr missile on the barracks in the southern port city of Mykolaiv, killing at least 100 troops. At least 200 soldiers were sleeping in the barracks at the military facility located in the north of Mykolaiv, which lies near the strategic port city of Odessa, an estimated 130 kilometres (80 miles) down the Black Sea coastline.

Russia’s naval forces bolstering maritime presence for mission from Black Sea 

Ukraine’s Yug operation command has also claimed that Russia’s naval forces were bolstering maritime presence for a mission from the Black Sea to bomb and destroy the Ukrainian territories from the strategic positions. Russian soldiers were seen loading Kalibr missiles onto Veliky Novgorod submarine docked at Sevastopol port in Crimea, the Yug operation command said, “By blocking shipping, conducting surface situation detection and aerial reconnaissance, [the Russians] continue to carry the threat of a missile attack on almost the entire territory of Ukraine,” Ukraine’s Defense forces said on Telegram channel. 

Kalibr missiles are being loaded onto submarines of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the South Bay of occupied Sevastopol. Credit: Twitter/@IuliiaMendel

Russia’s naval forces also fired four projectiles over the Black Sea, targetting Ukraine's major arsenal, which the defence ministry later confirmed to be a 3M-14 Kalibr cruise missile launched from the Buyan-M missile warship in Sevastopol. “As a result of the strike, a large depot of weapons and military equipment of the Ukrainian troops, including those received from Western countries, was destroyed,” a statement from Russia’s defence ministry had confirmed. In 2017, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had briefed that Kalibr missiles hold the capability to strike targets from 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) from underwater warships.

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry shared the photos of the Kilo-class submarine B-871 Alrosa and Russian submarine PZS-50 docked in the Gulf of the Crimean port of Sevastopol. On May 16, Sevastopol's military and security authorities had confirmed to state-affiliated Tass that Alrosa had docked at the Black Sea Fleet's naval base in Sevastopol, Crimea, after departing the service's 13th Ship Repair Plant. The submarine is serving with the Black Sea Fleet's 4th Independent Submarine Brigade and is armed with the Kalibr-PL missile system. 

Alrosa pictured before its overhaul and upgrade, which commenced in 2014. Credit: Russian MoD

Vadym Skibitsky, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said the Black Sea fleet of Russia was planning to use the submarine missiles to destroy Ukraine. "Now the ship's composition is used to strike with cruise missiles, this is a clear combat duty - two frigates, four small missile ships, two submarines, constantly on combat duty and constantly striking our territory using Caliber cruise missiles," said Skibitsky in Telegram post. 

Russia is strengthening its military posture in the Black Sea to attack Ukraine after Ukrainian ministry of internal affairs adviser Anton Gerashchenko said the US military was "getting ready" to destroy Russia's Black Sea fleet. His remarks were made in the context of Russian troops' blockade of the Ukrainian grain at key ports in the Black Sea, which has obstructed exports into the Mediterranean. 

"The effective work of the Ukrainians on warships convinced (the USA) to prepare a plan to unblock the ports," Gerashchenko tweeted. "Deliveries of powerful anti-ship weapons (Harpoon and Naval Strike Missile with a range of 250-300 km) are being discussed."

Gerashchenko's sabre rattling followed reports that the White House is planning to supply Ukraine's military with more advanced to attack Russia’s naval forces and remove the blockade. US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, told a briefing that the United States has no war vessels in the Black Sea to deter direct confrontation with Russia's naval forces that could flare war. “Right now it’s a bit of a stalemate [in the Black Sea region] between the Ukrainians wanting to make sure that there’s not any sort of amphibious landing against Odessa,” a key strategic port, Milley told reporters. He emphasized that the United States military has no presence in the region and that the Black Sea is a "no-go-zone for commercial shipping." 

For over two months now, Ukraine is unable to ship out grain and agricultural products owing to the Russian blockade on the Black Sea. This has triggered global food shortages and inflation worldwide, particularly in developing countries like Africa and Asia. India banned wheat exports earlier this month as output was hit and domestic prices surged to a record high. Photos published by Maxar Technologies showed Russian ships loading grain at Sevastopol, a port in Russian-occupied Crimea. Ukraine accused "Russian theives [troops]" of stealing the grain supplies, a claim categorically rejected by Kremlin that laid blame on the United States. Kremlin claims that the United States has stolen Ukraine's grain to compensate for the aid package that it provides to Ukraine's armed forces. 

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Published May 26th, 2022 at 14:11 IST

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