Ukraine says it hit Russian submarine in Black Sea, Russia denies

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) said earlier on Monday that the Ukrainian military counterintelligence and the naval forces had struck and critically damaged a Russian submarine in a joint operation at the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, a claim which Russia later denied, reported Xinhua.

The SBU said the Project 636.3 Kilo-class submarine was hit by underwater drones "Sub Sea Baby" and suffered critical damage, adding that the submarine was carrying four Kalibr cruise missile launchers.

Russia's TASS news agency, however, said the assertion made by the Ukrainian intelligence is false, citing Alexei Rulev, head of the Black Sea Fleet's press service.

"None of the ships or submarines of the Black Sea Fleet stationed in the bay of the Novorossiysk naval base, nor their crews, were damaged as a result of the sabotage and are continuing to serve as usual," he said.

"The enemy's attempt to carry out sabotage using an unmanned underwater vehicle did not achieve its objectives," Rulev added.