Branch
Submarine Forces
The submarine arm — Improved Kilo boats of the Black Sea Fleet are among the war's persistent Kalibr shooters.
Moscow-alignedNavalSubmarine forces
Broad area of activity
Black Sea launch stations and the other fleets' patrol areas.
Notable history
Improved Kilo-class boats have been persistent Kalibr shooters against Ukraine since 2022 — the platform Ukrainian defences can least answer — though one boat was publicly documented destroyed in dry dock in Sevastopol in 2023.
Strengths
Survivable strike from submerged launch; the least attritable element of the Black Sea force.
Limitations
Small in-theatre numbers; dependent on vulnerable basing and repair infrastructure that Ukrainian deep strike has reached.
Sensitivity: Public · structuralAssessment confidence: highStatus as of 2026-07Reviewed 2026-07Sources: Established international media reporting · ISW campaign assessments · IISS Military BalanceMethodology