Soviet submarine L-21

The World War II Soviet submarine L-21 belonged to the L-class or Leninets class of minelayer submarines. She was part of the last series of her class, having some improvements including more torpedo tubes. The commander during the war was Sergey S. Mogilevskiy.

Service history

Before completion, L-21 was sunk by German aircraft in Leningrad on 24 May 1942. L-21 was later raised, completed and commissioned, making both torpedo attacks and mine-laying. Among her victims was the Hansa, a neutral Swedish passenger ship travering from Nynäshamn to Visby. 84 innocent people were killed in the attack, which is commemorated by a memorial plaque in Visby Cathedral on Gotland, where the ship's bell is also preserved. L-21 also managed to sink a number of German warships, including two torpedo boats and a submarine.
One of her mines heavily damaged the German destroyer Z43.