UKRAINE has obliterated one of Vladimir Putin's prized Black Sea submarines in an impressive attack on occupied Crimea.
Kyiv forces said the prized Kilo-class Rostov-on-Don vessel, worth £275 million, was hit in a missile barrage on the Sevastopol port.
Ukraine's attack on Friday also “significantly damaged” four of Putin’s ultramodern S-400 air defence systems - worth in total around £2 billion.
Kyiv claimed the missile barrage also targeted four vital launches of Russia's "Triumf" air defence system.
The Kilo-class Rostov submarine - used to fire calibre class missiles on Ukraine - had been hit in September last year, but was then repaired.
Dramatic pictures showed the gaping hole ripped into its side after a barrage of Storm Shadow missiles bypassed air defence systems to blast naval docks in Sevastopol.
It was due to go back into service when Ukraine staged the lethal strike on Friday night.
Ukrainian forces used deadly US-made ATACMS missiles for the hit.
The mammoth sub was on sea trials in the water around Sevastopol when it was sunk, according to reports.
Kyiv is known for its impressive targeting of Russian naval targets amid Putin's illegal war in Ukraine and the sub marks a big milestone for Zelensky's forces.
“The Ukrainian Defence Forces have struck a submarine and the S-400 air defence system of the enemy in temporarily occupied Crimea,” said Ukraine's armed forces general staff.
“According to confirmed information, yesterday [Friday] the missile troops, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Navy, significantly damaged four launchers of the S-400 "Triumf" air defence system.
“In addition, in the port of Sevastopol, the Black Sea Fleet submarine Rostov-on-Don was successfully hit.
“As a result of the strike, the submarine sank on the spot.”
They added: “The destruction of the Rostov-on-Don once again proves that there is no safe place for the Russian fleet in Ukrainian territorial waters of the Black Sea."
Footage also showed Ukraine striking a military airfield last night in Rostov.
In what appears to be a successful night for Kyiv's forces in wounding Russia - Ukrainian drones were dropped on one of Putin's key bases.
It comes as Ukrainian military intelligence chief Lt-Gen Kyrylo Budanov revealed work is underway on a “complex solution” to destroy Vladimir Putin’s £3billion bridge linking Russia to annexed Crimea in the “coming months”.
