(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Ukraine Strikes Russian Submarine and Energy Assets as Fighting and Diplomacy Continue
Ukraine says it has destroyed a Russian submarine worth about 400 million US dollars at a naval base in the Russian port city of Novorossiysk, marking another significant blow to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet as the war enters a new phase combining sustained military pressure and renewed diplomatic contacts.
According to Ukrainian sources, the submarine was struck while docked using an unmanned underwater drone. The vessel, identified as a Kilo class submarine capable of launching cruise missiles, had been used in attacks on Ukrainian cities over several years. Video and satellite imagery circulating online appear to show the location of the strike within the naval base, although Russia has not publicly confirmed the loss.
The attack fits a broader pattern of Ukrainian operations against Russian naval assets since 2022, including the sinking of the Moskva cruiser and repeated strikes on ships and submarines in occupied Crimea. Analysts say the latest incident further reduces Russia’s ability to operate safely in the Black Sea and forces its navy to relocate assets farther from Ukrainian reach.
At the same time, Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure. Ukrainian drones reportedly hit the Yaroslavl oil refinery, forcing a suspension of output after damage to a primary processing unit and loading facilities. Separate strikes were reported at the Afipsky oil refinery in southern Russia, an installation that has been targeted multiple times this year, as well as at a smaller oil depot in Volgograd region.
Ukrainian long range drones have also struck oil and gas platforms in the Caspian Sea, including facilities operated by Lukoil. Ukrainian sources say production has been halted at platforms that together produce around 122,000 barrels of oil per day. In addition, the Astrakhan gas processing plant, which produces more than three million tonnes of petroleum products annually, was reportedly damaged by drone strikes, disrupting flows linked to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.
Selected Reported Ukrainian Strikes on Russian Assets
| Location | Facility or Asset | Reported Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Novorossiysk | Kilo class submarine | Destroyed |
| Yaroslavl region | Oil refinery | Output suspended |
| Krasnodar region | Afipsky refinery | Repeated shutdowns |
| Caspian Sea | Oil and gas platforms | Production halted |
| Astrakhan region | Gas processing plant | Fire and damage |
These attacks come as Russia’s oil and gas revenues face sustained pressure from falling prices, sanctions and repeated infrastructure damage. Reuters has reported that Russia’s monthly energy revenues are approaching their lowest levels since 2020, a trend analysts expect to continue if strikes persist.
On the battlefield, Ukraine says its forces are advancing in and around Kupiansk in eastern Ukraine, with Russian units reportedly encircled in several pockets and facing shortages of supplies. The Institute for the Study of War has confirmed limited Ukrainian advances based on geolocated footage. Russia has not acknowledged these claims.
Civilian areas in Ukraine continue to come under attack. Russian drone and missile strikes on Odesa recently caused widespread power and water outages affecting more than one million residents. In Zaporizhzhia, a strike on a supermarket injured at least 14 people, including a child, according to local authorities.
Diplomatically, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Berlin for talks involving European partners and US representatives, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who are described by US officials as informal envoys linked to US President Donald Trump. Discussions are focused on security guarantees, the possibility of freezing front lines and conditions for any future ceasefire.
Ukrainian officials say Kyiv is signalling flexibility in talks while insisting that any agreement must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and security. Proposals reportedly floated by US intermediaries, including demilitarised zones or territorial concessions, have been met with scepticism in Kyiv and across much of Europe.
Meanwhile, the Czech Republic has announced it has completed delivery of 1.8 million artillery shells to Ukraine under a multinational procurement initiative, ahead of schedule. The deliveries are seen as critical as Ukraine seeks to sustain military operations into 2025.
