• Ukraine claimed it executed a first-of-its-kind underwater drone attack on a Russian submarine.
• The strike involved "Sub Sea Baby" drones targeting a Kilo-class submarine in Novorossiysk.
• Russian authorities denied damage, asserting their submarine fleet remains intact.
• This attack is seen as a turning point in the naval conflict of the ongoing war.
• Ukrainian officials announced that the submarine carried Kalibr missiles used against Ukraine.

On December 15, Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) reported a landmark attack on a Russian Kilo-class submarine using "Sub Sea Baby" underwater drones in Novorossiysk, marking the first such operation in history. The SBU claimed that the attack resulted in critical damage to the submarine, essentially rendering it inoperable, as seen in footage of a large explosion near the dock where the vessel was moored, creating a significant tactical development in the ongoing war, according to Business Insider, Reuters, Al Jazeera, and SCMP.

This attack is part of Ukraine's strategy to challenge Russia's naval capabilities, especially as the Russian fleet has largely moved operations from Crimea to Novorossiysk due to prior Ukrainian strikes. Ukrainian officials emphasized that the submarine attacked was equipped with four launchers for Kalibr cruise missiles, which have been pivotal in Russia's offensive against Ukraine, confirming the attack's significant implications for naval combat tactics, according to India Times, Reuters, and SCMP.

In the wake of the attack, Russia has denied any damage to its submarine fleet, asserting that all vessels remain operational. However, Ukrainian military spokespeople assert that the incapacitation of this particular submarine marks a historical moment in naval warfare, potentially changing the dynamics of the naval conflict, according to Business Insider and Al Jazeera.