A Russian Kilo-class submarine is reported to have surfaced in the Strait of Gibraltar after a critical malfunction created an explosion risk, according to independent Russian outlet VChK-OGPU.
According to the outlet’s report published Saturday, the 74-meter Novorossiysk, part of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, experienced a system failure that caused fuel to leak into its bilge compartment. With no spare parts or technical specialists on board, the crew is unable to repair the damage.
“The accumulated fuel in the hold presents an explosive hazard. The source believes the crew may have no choice but to begin ‘pumping the hold’ directly into the sea,” the report reads.
Circulating photos of the submarine on Friday, along with flight tracking of a U.S. Navy maritime patrol aircraft in the area, appeared to confirm its presence near Gibraltar. The reason for its deployment in the region remains unclear.
Russian Navy Project 636.3 Improved Kilo-class attack submarine Novorossiysk (B-261) leaving the Mediterranean Sea via Gibraltar strait, monitored by US Navy’s P-8A Poseidon. pic.twitter.com/XJzZ7yNcNH
— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) September 27, 2025
Launched in 2014, the Novorossiysk carries a crew of about 52 and can fire Kalibr cruise missiles, torpedoes, and lay naval mines.
The reported emergency follows recent naval mishaps. On August 7, Russian missile corvette Vyshny Volochyok collided with a civilian tanker in the Sea of Azov while carrying out combat tasks, sustaining visible hull damage.
❗️The 🇷🇺Russian submarine “Novorossiysk” and the small missile ship “Vyshny Volochek” suffered serious accidents, one accident occurred in the Mediterranean Sea, the other in the Azov region.
The submarine “Novorossiysk” has a critical damage to the fuel system, as a result of… pic.twitter.com/8xRmfqH2sX
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) September 27, 2025
