VALENTYNA ROMANENKO – MONDAY, 24 OCTOBER 2022, 15:29

The Russian submarine missile carriers which threatened critical targets in Ukraine have been withdrawn to their bases, where it is likely that they will replenish their missile arrays. Two surface Kalibr cruise missile carriers remain on standby in the Black Sea.

Source: Nataliia Humeniuk, Head of the United Coordinating Press Centre for Operational Command Pivden (South), during the national joint 24/7 newscast

Quote from Humeniuk: "Two surface missile carriers armed with 16 Kalibr [cruise missiles] are currently [in the waters of the Black Sea]. Last week there were five missile carriers there, including two submarine missile carriers which entered the area and were used to carry out attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.

Missiles launched from such submarines are more difficult to detect, which is why the Russians use them to attack critical targets.

There are currently no submarine missile carriers there, only the two surface ones. It is precisely because they carried out such a large-scale missile strike on Ukraine last week that some of the missile carriers have returned to their bases, apparently in order to replenish their supplies of missiles, among other things."

Details: Humeniuk said that Russia’s naval vessels are currently situated along the southern coast of Crimea and are sailing towards Novorossiysk, a Russian base where they can shelter from the ongoing storm.

They are not advancing past Cape Tarkhankut (towards Ukraine) because Ukraine’s weapons can reach them there. 

In addition, the grain initiative and the internationally-binding obligations it imposes on Russia prevent the Russian ships from approaching that area and obstructing the operation of the grain corridors.

That is why the Russian vessels are keeping to a missile-safe area – the so-called "comfort zone". They have to abide by certain rules in those waters, but they can also carry out missile strikes on Ukraine, because the Kalibr cruise missiles that the Russian vessels are armed with can hit targets up to 2,500 kilometres away.

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