According to information published by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on March 2, 2023, the group of Russian ships in the Black Sea consists of 13 ships, 4 of which are capable of carrying Kalibr missiles, including 2 submarines. It is likely that the two submarines are of the Kilo class.
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Russian Kilo-class submarine Krasnokamensk. (Picture source: csdalzavod)
The Kilo-class submarine is a type of attack submarine that was first introduced by the Soviet Union in the early 1980s. She has since been exported to several other countries and has seen action in a number of conflicts.
The submarine has a displacement that varies between 2,325 tons and 3,100 tons depending on the specific variant. She measures between 70.0 and 73.8 meters in length, 9.9 meters in beam, and has a draft of 6.2 meters.
The Kilo class is powered by a diesel-electric propulsion system that includes two 1000 kW diesel generators, a 5,500-6,800 shp propulsion motor, and a fixed-pitch 6 or 7 bladed propeller.
When surfaced, the submarine can reach a top speed of 17 knots, while its maximum submerged speed is 20 knots. Her range with snorkel is between 6,000 and 7,500 nautical miles at 7 knots, and 400 nautical miles at 3 knots while submerged. She has an endurance of 45 days and can operate at depths of up to 240 meters.
The Kilo-class submarine is equipped with six 533 mm torpedo tubes and can carry up to 18 torpedoes. She is also armed with four Kalibr/Club land-attack cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, and anti-submarine missiles in some variants.
Additionally, the submarine can carry up to 24 mines and is equipped with eight 9K34 Strela-3 or 9K310 Igla-1 surface-to-air missiles for air defense (although some export submarines may not be equipped with these weapons).
