MOSCOW, September 25. /TASS/. The Black Sea Fleet’s diesel-electric submarine Kolpino dived to a depth of over 240 meters at a practice range in the Black Sea during drills, the Fleet’s press office reported on Wednesday.

"During the naval exercise, the submarine’s crew practiced assignments at various depths with a maximum submergence depth of over 240 meters. During the deep dive, the crew checked the operation of all the sub’s systems and mechanisms and practiced the algorithm of measures to control the vessel at large depths and use various methods of surfacing," the press office said in a statement.

After completing the maneuvers during the deep dive, the crew of the submarine Kolpino surfaced and continued practicing assignments in accordance with the Fleet’s combat training plan. The small anti-submarine warfare ship Kasimov and the rescue tug SBS-739 provided support for the drills.

The Kolpino is the fifth submarine in the series of six Project 636.3 (Varshavyanka-class) subs built for the Black Sea Fleet at the Admiralty Shipyard in St. Petersburg in northwest Russia.

The Project 636.3 (‘Varshavyanka’) is referred to the third generation of diesel-electric submarines. The submarines of this type have been designed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau. They can develop a speed of up to 20 knots, have their sea endurance of 45 days and a crew of 52 men. They can dive to a depth of about 300 meters. The submarines of this class displace over 2,000 tonnes in their surface position and about 4,000 tonnes under the water. Varshavyanka-class subs are armed with Kalibr cruise missiles.