Images have recently surfaced online showing what appeared to be a new Russian submarine in Sevastopol Bay, Crimea.
A Decoy Submarine
However, it turns out that this submarine is not real but a decoy designed to deceive Ukrainian intelligence services, according to Ziare.
The detail was first noted by OSINT researcher MT Anderson and local residents in Sevastopol, who are anticipating the arrival of Ukrainian Armed Forces on the peninsula, according to Crimean Wind.
The decoy submarine is located in the Kilen Bay, home to the Black Sea Fleet's naval repair facility.
This facility had recently repaired the Rostov-on-Don submarine, which was hit multiple times by Ukrainian forces in the summer of 2024.
An Attempt to Confuse
It is speculated that this deceptive maneuver by the Kremlin aims to confuse Ukrainian intelligence and suggest that the Rostov-on-Don was not sunk on August 2, following an attack ordered by Kiev.
MT Anderson was the first to highlight that the bay also contains a real submarine, albeit one covered with camouflage nets. The fake submarine is deliberately placed in a visible location so it can be easily spotted by satellites.
On August 3, the Ukrainian General Staff reported the destruction of the enemy submarine Rostov-on-Don. Just two days later, a Moscow delegation arrived in Sevastopol to investigate the alleged destruction of the Rostov-on-Don.
