1/ Foreign-made components in Russian Kilo-class submarines in the Black Sea Fleet have reportedly been systematically stripped out and replaced with Russian or Chinese components. However, this is said to have resulted in corruption and significant problems with reliability. ⬇️
2/ In the mid-2010s, Russia undertook a major project to upgrade the design of its Kilo-class submarines with new systems. 11 new Project 636.3 ("Improved Kilo II") boats were launched between 2013 and 2024, with another 5 currently either on order or under construction.
3/ According to the VChK-OGPU Telegram channel, the new systems incorporated foreign components, presumably imported from Western countries. This practice ceased in 2022 when technology sanctions were imposed following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
4/ The channel reports: "After the start of the war, about 90% of the parts were replaced with domestic and Chinese analogues. However, funding for their repairs continues to be allocated at the same, inflated rates."
5/ "After the May arrest of Pavel Flori, who headed the ship repair plant, the fleet command has been calm. The military leadership deliberately remains outside the attention of the inspection bodies."
6/ Fiori was arrested on suspicion of a component substitution fraud, the cost of which is put at 4 million rubles ($50,500). He is accused of having conspired with a contractor to inflate the cost of work being done for the Black Sea Fleet, and is currently under house arrest.
7/ "The transition to new components did not lead to a revision of the estimated cost of repair work. At the same time, the quality of the replaced units and assemblies raises huge doubts."
8/ Reliability problems have been a frequent outcome of substitution scams. Examples have included defective bearings causing Russian air force planes to be grounded and Russia's missile defence system being undermined by low-quality foreign parts.
9/ "Also, in the 4th [submarine] brigade (military unit 80515) there is a morally and physically obsolete submarine "Alrosa", which is not capable of performing combat missions (launching missiles), the units and assemblies of the boat are falling apart, when going out to sea…
10/ …it smokes terribly, like the infamous aircraft carrier "Kuznetsov", but despite all this it continues to be in service, the crew receives wages, and funds continue to be allocated to close scheduled inspections."
11/ Alrosa has an unusual history. Commissioned in December 1990, it was part of the Black Sea Fleet but its crew swore allegiance to Ukraine in 1992 after the Soviet Union was dissolved. However, it was transferred to Russia in 1997 after an agreement betwee the countries.
12/ The boat was sponsored by the Russian diamond mining company Alrosa, which promotes military service to youths from Yakutia as an alternative to crime, drugs and alcoholism. It's reputed to be the world's only combat submarine named after a company.
13/ However, Alrosa has been plagued by technical problems for years. It is the only remaining original Kilo-class submarine (Project 877) boat in the Black Sea Fleet and uses an unusual pump-jet propulsion system rather than a conventional propeller. /end
Sources:
🔹 t.me/rucriminalinfo…
🔹 lenta.ru/news/2025/05/2…
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