- In the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian forces claimed the destruction of a Russian military patrol boat in the Black Sea.
- According to Ukraine’s military intelligence spokesman, the ship had previously sustained damage but was ultimately destroyed in an overnight attack carried out by maritime drones.
- The operation was executed by Ukraine’s special unit Group 13 in collaboration with the Naval Forces, with support from the Ministry of Digital Transformation.
- Following the attack, train traffic on the bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland was temporarily halted.
- This incident marks another blow to Russia’s military presence in the region, coming just a month after Ukrainian forces claimed the destruction of a Russian landing warship near Crimea using naval drones.
In a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Ukrainian forces claimed the destruction of a Russian military patrol boat in the Black Sea near the Crimean Peninsula. This strategic waterway has become a key battleground in Russia’s two-year invasion of Ukraine, with Ukrainian forces reporting a series of successful attacks on Moscow’s fleet.
According to Ukraine’s military intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov, the ship had previously sustained damage but was ultimately destroyed in an overnight attack carried out by maritime drones. This assertion was confirmed by Ukraine’s military, who revealed that the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s newest patrol ship, identified as the Sergey Kotov and valued at approximately $65 million, was targeted and destroyed using naval drones.
The operation was executed by Ukraine’s special unit Group 13 in collaboration with the Naval Forces, with support from the Ministry of Digital Transformation. The successful attack resulted in damage to the Russian vessel’s stern, right, and left sides. A video purportedly depicting the sinking of the Sergey Kotov was later circulated on social media platforms.
Andriy Yermak, Chief of Staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, emphasized the symbolic significance of targeting the Russian Black Sea Fleet, referring to it as a symbol of occupation that has no place in Ukrainian territory.
Following the attack, train traffic on the bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland was temporarily halted, as reported by a Telegram channel associated with a Russia-installed official in Crimea.
This incident marks another blow to Russia’s military presence in the region, coming just a month after Ukrainian forces claimed the destruction of a Russian landing warship near Crimea using naval drones. These developments underscore Ukraine’s increasing reliance on technological capabilities, such as sea drones, to counter Russian aggression and defend its sovereignty.
As Ukraine commemorates day 741 of Russia’s war on the country, the destruction of the Sergey Kotov serves as a reminder of the ongoing conflict’s toll and the resilience of Ukrainian forces in the face of adversity.
(With inputs from agencies)
