On Tuesday (March 5), Kyiv claimed that it employed maritime drones to sink a Russian Black Maritime Fleet patrol ship near the Kerch Strait in occupied Crimea. Meanwhile, a military intelligence source in Kyiv told AFP that Ukraine also attacked an oil storage in the Russian border region of Belgorod, igniting at least one gasoline tank. The latest alleged attack on a Russian cruiser in Crimea weakens Moscow’s naval capabilities and grip over the Black Sea, as Ukrainian forces continue to suffer losses elsewhere in the ongoing conflict. On Tuesday, the Ukrainian intelligence service (HUR) took to Telegram to report that a special unit Group 13 attacked the Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol ship Sergey Kotov near the Kerch Strait.
HUR reports that the ship is valued at approximately $65 million
According to the Ukrainian intelligence agency, the Russian ship Project 22160 Sergey Kotov was damaged on the stern, starboard, and port sides as a consequence of a hit by Magura V5 maritime drones. HUR reports that the ship is valued at approximately $65 million. The stunning film of the strike claimed by Kyiv shows a Ukrainian kamikaze drone closing in on the Russian warship before hitting the ship’s hull, resulting in a big explosion. The Group 13 special unit uploaded a video of many additional drones attacking a jagged hole left by the first strike.
Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelensky, also turned to Telegram to express how the “Russian Black Sea Fleet is a symbol of occupation” and “cannot be in the Ukrainian Crimea,” in an apparent reference to the attack. The fate of the Russian cruiser and its crew of approximately 60 persons was not immediately known. HUR stated that the strike was carried out in collaboration with the Ukrainian armed forces’ maritime forces and the Ministry of Digital Transformation. Trains were temporarily suspended on the bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow annexed in 2014, to the Russian mainland, according to Reuters, citing the Telegram channel of a Russian-installed official in Crimea.
Ukraine has increased its attacks on Russia’s energy industry during the last three months
The Telegram account of the Russian-installed government in charge of the bridge also reportedly stated that highway traffic was delayed for several hours before resuming at about 0700 GMT. According to AFP, a Ukrainian drone struck the plant in the Russian village of Dolgoye, which is about four kilometres from the border. Belgorod region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov stated that emergency services are dealing with a fire that broke out at an “infrastructure facility,” and that there were no deaths, but made no mention of a drone strike.
Ukraine has increased its attacks on Russia’s energy industry during the last three months. Kyic also launched artillery strikes in the neighbouring region of Kursk, causing a fire at a rail station and cutting power to a village. “The Glushkovo railway station was shelled from the Ukrainian side. A total of nine incoming attacks were counted, there were no casualties,” said region governor, Roman Starovoit. He also said that electricity lines were “damaged” and that the station and the village of Kulbaki were left without power. “As soon as it is safe, emergency crews will start restoring it,” Starovoit added.