Russia has deployed an advanced stealth submarine, dubbed a "Black Hole" by the NATO, in the Mediterranean Sea near the Syrian coast, said reports.
The kilo-class sub is reportedly armed with cruise missiles to strike the Islamic State (also known as Isis and Daesh) targets in Raqqa and the surrounding areas.
Known as "Improved Kilo" under NATO code name, "Rostov on Don" is believed to be the quietest in the world. According to Russia Today, the Russian submarine can remain undetected under water for long time, which has earned it the nickname "black hole" from NATO.
The cruise missiles on the Russian submarine, which is from the Caspian Flotilla, are similar to the ones on Russian warships that were used to hit the Isis targets, a source in the Russian MOD told Russian news agency Interfax.
INTERFAX: #Russia submarine equipped with cruise missiles entered the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea and is near the coast of #Syria
— Zeina Khodr (@ZeinakhodrAljaz) December 8, 2015
The Rostov-on-Don diesel-electric submarine also possesses an extended combat range, and its relatively small size helps it operate even in shallow waters.
The sub is armed with 533mm torpedoes and eight surface-to-air missiles, besides a land attack cruise missile complex.
According to Russia Today, Moscow may have used the sub when it fired Kalibr supersonic cruise missiles into Syria from the Caspian Sea.
On 7 October, Russia made its mark in history, after it fired Kalibr supersonic cruise missiles into Syria about 1,500km (930 mile) from warships in the Caspian Sea.
The Russian cruise missiles flew over the Caucasus Mountains, Iran and Iraq before the precision attack hit Daesh targets in the western part of Syria.
