July 24, 2024: The Russian Black Sea fleet originally had four Kilo-Class diesel-electric submarines. One Kilo was put out of action by a September 2023 air strike on the Crimean port of Sevastopol, where most ships of the Black Sea fleet were based. The other three Kilos apparently departed with the rest of the Black Sea fleet for more distant ports to avoid attack by Ukrainian USVs (Unmanned Seagoing Vessels).

Russia lost control of the Black Sea after it invaded Ukraine in 2022. Ukraine used USVs armed with explosives to destroy or damage over a third of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The surviving Russian ships fled to distant areas of the Black Sea to escape these unusual but very effective Ukrainian attacks. Even in the new, distant bases, Black Sea Fleet ships were still attacked by new, longer range Ukrainian attack USVs. This was humiliating for Russia, which lost control of the Black Sea to Ukraine, a country without a fleet. The Ukrainians used their novel USVs and continue to use them against surviving Russian warships. The Ukrainian USVs now block Russian commercial transports from leaving or entering the Black Sea.

The Crimean port of Sevastopol is still controlled by Russian forces, as is the rest of Crimea. Despite that, Russian ports and bases in Crimea are under constant attack and more Russian civilians are leaving. The Russian government is discouraging Russian tourists from coming to Crimea, as they have been doing for over a century.

The three remaining Kilo class submarines in the Black Sea could remain a threat because each of them carries four Kalibr cruise missiles, which are similar to the American Tomahawk submarine launched missiles. There are still, as of July 2024, Kalibr missile attacks on Ukrainian targets. Since Kalibr is a relatively slow moving cruise missile, it is easy for air defense systems to spot and shoot down. Some cruise missiles are designed to come in low, less than a hundred meters from the ground, to avoid being spotted by radar. Kalibr does not have that feature and approaches targets at a high enough altitude to be spotted and shot down. This has been happening regularly over Ukraine, but the Russian supply of Kalibr’s, which are usually launched from ships or submarines, are limited and so are the use of Kalibr’s in combat during 2024.

Russia prefers to use faster ballistic missiles which are more difficult for the Ukrainians to intercept, especially since Ukraine has been receiving fewer Patriot missiles from its NATO supporters. Ukraine has apparently received and used so many Patriot missiles that the worldwide supply of missiles available to Ukraine is running low. Over 100,000 Patriot missiles have been produced since Patriot was introduced in the 1980s. Most of those missiles have been used or retired because they were too old to operate reliably. The United States is the major operator of Patriot systems and missiles, but Patriot has been exported to eighteen other nations. The U.S. is trying to persuade other Patriot users to donate Patriot batteries, each with target detection and fire control radars, as well as a fire control system manned by operators. Ukraine has been training more Patriot operators and the American manufacturer of Patriot missiles has increased production to 500 missiles a year which is projected to rise to 650 by 2027.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet surface ships and submarines are no longer a major threat to Ukraine. The primary weapon of these ships was the Kalibr cruise missile, which has largely been nullified by air defense systems. The Russian ships are receiving few reloads for the Kalibr missiles used and Russia is concentrating on building more ballistic missiles which have a better chance of getting past Ukrainian missile defense systems.

Kilo class diesel-electric submarines have a top underwater speed of 36 kilometers an hour. The crew of 52 can stay at sea for up to 45 days at a time. Armament consists of 18 torpedoes or missiles plus eight surface-to-air missiles. Kilos displace 2,300 tons, are 74 meters long and all have six 533 mm torpedo tubes. Kilos are very similar to the world-standard diesel submarine, the 1,800-ton German Type 209. The Kilo is a formidable attack submarine and has been continually upgraded with better mechanical and electronic systems since first introduced in the early 1980s.

Kilos carry 18 heavyweight torpedoes, with six in the tubes and 12 on the racks. Two targets can be engaged simultaneously. Alternatively the torpedo tubes can deploy mines. The submarine can carry 24 mines with two in each of the six tubes and twelve on the racks.

Two torpedo tubes are designed for firing remote-controlled wire-guided torpedoes with very high accuracy. All torpedo tubes and their service systems provide effective firing from a 17.5 meter-long periscope tube. Kilos can operate as deep as 300 meters but normal operating depth is 250 meters.

The computer-controlled torpedo system is provided with a quick-loading device. It takes only 15 seconds to prepare stand-by torpedo tubes for firing; the first salvo can be away in under two minutes and the second within five minutes.

Typical torpedoes carried are the Type 53-65 passive wake homing torpedo with a range of 21 kilometers, or 19 kilometers at 81 kilometers an hour with a 305 kg warhead), and the TEST 71/76 anti-submarine torpedo that uses active and passive homing sonar. This model has a range of 17 kilometers. That means 15 kilometers at 72 kilometers an hour or 22 kilometers at 45 kilometers an hour with a 200 kg warhead.

Two of the launch tubes can fire the TEST-71MKE TV electric wire-guided/homing torpedo which has an active sonar homing system with TV guidance which allows the operator to manually switch to an alternative target and can maneuver in two axes. It is powered by a storage battery and bi-rotary motor giving a wakeless run at constant range and speed. It is 7.9 meters long and weighs 1,820 kg with a 205 kg explosive charge. Note TV means wire or fiber optic guided.

The submarine is also fitted with wake homing torpedoes that are 7.2 meters long and weigh 2.2 tons with a 200 kg explosive charge. It has a range of up to 40 km, and a depth of search of up to 500 meters. Maximum speed is 90 kilometers an hour.