Ukrainian forces destroyed the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s latest patrol send, the Sergey Kotov, the usage of naval drones in an in a single day assault, Kyiv has stated.”The enemy send ‘Sergey Kotov’ was once destroyed,” Ukraine’s army intelligence stated on Tuesday.Kyiv stated the operation was once performed by means of Ukraine’s Workforce 13 particular forces close to the Kerch Strait.The ContextNews of the destruction of the vessel marks the most recent blow for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose Black Sea Fleet has been focused by means of Ukraine because it seeks to opposite his 2014 annexation of Crimea. The area is Russia’s central logistics hub for its forces in southern Ukraine.
A serviceman holds a “Stinger” anti-aircraft weapon onboard a Ukrainian vessel on December 18, 2023. Ukrainian forces destroyed the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s latest patrol send, the Sergey Kotov, on Tuesday.
A serviceman holds a “Stinger” anti-aircraft weapon onboard a Ukrainian vessel on December 18, 2023. Ukrainian forces destroyed the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s latest patrol send, the Sergey Kotov, on Tuesday.
ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP/Getty Pictures
What We KnowAccording to the Unian information company, Russia’s latest Undertaking 22160 patrol send price round $65 million to construct and had a team of 80, despite the fact that it’s lately unclear what number of people have been on board.The send was once up to now reported to had been utilized by Russia within the enforcement of its Black Sea blockade on Ukrainian grain exports.Ukraine stated the send, in-built 2021, was once “broken by means of hearth within the territorial waters of Ukraine.””Because of the assault by means of Magura V5 naval drones, the Russian send of venture 22160 ‘Sergey Kotov’ suffered harm to the strict, proper and left facets,” Ukraine’s army intelligence stated in a submit on Telegram.Ukraine has used Magura V5 naval drones in assaults at the Black Sea Fleet prior to, together with towards Russia’s Ropucha-class touchdown send Caesar Kunikov remaining month.”The project came about in cooperation with the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and with the fortify of the Ministry of Virtual Transformation of Ukraine,” it added.Ukrainian army intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov instructed Radio Liberty that Russia had “plans to put anti-aircraft missile techniques at the send.””The less such ships, the less anti-aircraft missile techniques can be deployed on them, and this implies extra alternatives for the Ukrainian safety and protection forces,” he stated.Yusov stated there have been casualties because of the assault.”There are lifeless and wounded. Alternatively, there’s a chance that a part of the team may have evacuated…Ambulances are identified to had been known as by means of the enemy at the nearest landmass. This is, an evacuation operation was once nonetheless performed,” Yusov addedNewsweek could not independently test Ukraine’s claims concerning the boat’s destruction, and has contacted Russia’s protection ministry for remark by means of e mail. The Kremlin hasn’t commented at the stories.ViewsX (previously Twitter) person “Ukrainian Entrance,” a Ukrainian army blogger, stated that the Sergey Kotov was once commissioned into the Russian Black Sea Fleet on July 30, 2022, months after Russian President Vladimir Putin introduced his full-scale invasion of Ukraine.”So it’s the most recent of the ships affected all over the struggle. The send price the Russian funds 100 million greenbacks. Caliber missiles and different guns might be put in on board,” the blogger stated.”Ukraine’s naval drones hit Russia’s patrol boat ‘Sergey Kotov’ on the Kerch bridge. ‘Sergey Kotov’ was once in-built 2021,” wrote Sergej Sumlenny, founding father of the German suppose tank, the Ecu Resilience Initiative Middle, on X.What is Subsequent?Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has suffered in depth casualties all through the full-scale struggle in Ukraine that has been raging since 2022. Its flagship, Moskva, was once attacked and destroyed in April of that yr. In September 2023, Ukraine introduced a missile assault at the Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol, reportedly killing a lot of main officials and removing a Russian submarine.Professionals just about Ukraine’s Protection Ministry up to now instructed Newsweek that Kyiv is embarking on a solution to “demilitarize” the Black Sea Fleet as a part of steps towards sooner or later releasing Crimea.Do you may have a tip on a global information tale that Newsweek will have to be masking? Do you may have a query concerning the Russia-Ukraine struggle? Tell us by means of worldnews@newsweek.com.
Unusual KnowledgeNewsweek is dedicated to difficult standard knowledge and discovering connections within the seek for commonplace floor.Newsweek is dedicated to difficult standard knowledge and discovering connections within the seek for commonplace floor.
