Russian naval officers are suspected of sabotaging submarines stationed in the Black Sea, according to recent reports.
After more than three years of war, Russia’s navy has suffered heavy losses, with Ukraine destroying nearly a third of the Black Sea Fleet. Ukrainian forces famously sank the Moskva — one of the fleet's flagships — as well as the Rostov-on-Don submarine.
Reports have recently emerged that several submarines based in Novorossiysk are plagued by persistent mechanical failures. A source told the Telegram channel VChK-OGPU that since 2024, the submarine fleet has remained docked due to recurring technical issues.
The frequency and nature of the malfunctions have raised suspicions within the Kremlin, with concerns that these may not be due to routine wear and tear, but deliberate acts of sabotage.
Ukraine is not being blamed for the alleged sabotage. Instead, suspicion is falling on members of the fleet itself.
“It is not [Ukrainian] saboteurs who are under suspicion, but the personnel of the fleet,” the channel reported. “The fleet command, along with divisional mechanical engineers and the commander of military unit 80515 — the 4th Separate Submarine Brigade — Captain 1st Rank Skarga, are focused on constantly fixing the breakdowns.”
The internal problems within the Russian navy could signal growing discontent or deeper operational failures as the war drags on.
(QG - Source: The Daily Express - Picture : © Pixabay)
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