Kiev’s raid in the Black Sea has failed, and the targeted ships continued their operations, the Defense Ministry has said
Vasily Bykov patrol vessel. © Sputnik
Ukrainian seaborne drones have attempted to attack two Russian vessels tasked with monitoring navigation in the southwestern part of the Black Sea, around 340 kilometers from Sevastopol, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
“Tonight, the armed forces of Ukraine made an unsuccessful attempt to attack patrol vessels Sergey Kotov and Vasily Bykov of the Black Sea Fleet with three unmanned boats,” the military said in a brief statement.
The ministry said that all of the maritime drones were destroyed by the Russian Navy, with both ships continuing operations in the area.
The Sergey Kotov already came under a Ukrainian drone attack in the same area last week, according to the Defense Ministry, which added that the vessel destroyed both sea drones involved in the raid at a distance of 1,000 and 800 meters.
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In recent months, Kiev has intensified drone attacks on the Crimea Peninsula, including Sevastopol, which serves as a key base for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Last month, the Defense Ministry said it had intercepted a mass drone strike on critical infrastructure on the peninsula involving nearly 30 UAVs.
It also came after a Ukrainian maritime drone attack on the Crimean Bridge, which damaged one section of the roadway and claimed the lives of a married Russian couple, and injured their teenage daughter. Moscow described the raid as a terrorist attack and responded by intensifying strikes on Ukrainian military facilities.
On Monday, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu claimed that Kiev’s attacks on civilian infrastructure are meant to distract from its faltering offensive, which has been going on for almost two months but has failed to gain any ground.
