Ukraine says it destroyed Russian warship with drone

By Ilya Novikov | associated Press

KIEV, Ukraine — Ukraine claimed Tuesday to have sunk another Russian warship in the Black Sea using high-tech maritime drones as Kiev’s military struck targets well behind the war front lines. Russian officials did not confirm the claim.

The Ukrainian military intelligence agency said a special operations unit destroyed the large patrol vessel Sergei Kotov overnight. The ship, which Ukraine said was commissioned in 2021 and was hit near the Kerch Strait, can reportedly carry cruise missiles and about 60 crew.

The sinking of such a modern ship would be a significant loss and embarrassing blow for Moscow, even though its Black Sea Fleet has dozens of other ships.

Kiev officials say that about 20% of Russian missile attacks on Ukraine have been launched from the Black Sea, and that successful Ukrainian attacks have damaged Moscow’s capability.

Patrol vessels like the Sergei Kotov are part of Russia’s countermeasures against drone attacks, according to an article published last month by the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a US think tank. It said the ships use radar and a helicopter to locate and destroy the drones using grenade launchers and heavy machine guns.

Kiev’s forces are struggling to hold off better-provisioned Russian forces at certain points along a largely static 1,500-kilometre (930-mile) front line, but are also targeting targets far beyond it.

In the Black Sea, Ukraine’s successes against enemy warships have pushed the Russian fleet away from the coast, allowing Ukraine to establish a grain export corridor.

The Defense Ministry of Ukraine posted a video on And are filled with explosives. The military intelligence agency said seven Russian crew members were killed and six wounded, while 52 were rescued.

The Ukrainian claims could not immediately be independently confirmed. Disinformation has been a feature of the fighting that began after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.

Private security firm Ambre said the attack took place at the port of Feodosia in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014. Embrey said he had seen footage taken by a crew member on a merchant ship in port, which appeared to show Sergei Kotov opening fire. Drone.

Embrey reported that the ship was attacked at least twice, with the second attack resulting in a large explosion.

Last month, Ukraine claimed to have twice used drones to sink Russian warships. On 1 February, it claimed to have sunk the Russian missile-armed corvette Ivanovets, and on 14 February it said it destroyed the landing ship Caesar Kunikov. Russian officials did not confirm those claims.

Nearly two years ago, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva guided-missile cruiser, was sunk after being heavily damaged in a missile attack.