Ukraine claimed Tuesday that it has sunk another Russian warship in the Black Sea using high-tech sea drones as Kyiv's forces continue to take aim at targets deep behind the war's front line. Russian authorities didn't confirm the claim, and it couldn't be independently verified. The Ukrainian military intelligence agency said a special operations unit destroyed the large patrol ship Sergey Kotov overnight. The ship, which Ukraine said was commissioned in 2021 and was hit near the Kerch Strait, reportedly can carry cruise missiles and around 60 crew. The sinking of such a modern ship would be a significant loss and an embarrassing blow for Moscow, reports the AP, even though there are dozens of other vessels in its Black Sea fleet.
Patrol boats such as the Sergey Kotov are part of Russia's countermeasures against drone attacks, according to an article published last month by US think tank Foreign Policy Research Institute. The vessels use radar and a helicopter to detect and destroy drones using grenade launchers and heavy machine guns, it said. In the Black Sea, Ukrainian successes against enemy warships have pushed the Russian fleet away from the coast, allowing Ukraine to set up a grain export corridor.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry posted on X a video of what it said was the nighttime attack on the Sergey Kotov using Magura V5 uncrewed vessels. Seven Russian crew members were killed and six were injured in the strike, while 52 crew were rescued, the military intelligence agency said. The private security firm Ambrey said the attack took place at the port of Feodosia, in Crimea. Ambrey said it has seen footage taken by a crew member on a merchant vessel in the port, showing the Sergey Kotov firing at the drones. The ship was hit at least twice, with the second strike resulting in a large blast, Ambrey reported.
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