In a recent escalation of hostilities between Ukraine and Russia, a drone strike carried out by Ukraine targeted a Russian navy ship at a Black Sea base. A Ukraine security source informed AFP about the attack, while Russia reported repelling a similar attempted attack over annexed Crimea.
The number of attacks in the Black Sea has surged from both sides since Moscow exited a trade deal last month that permitted Ukrainian grain exports through the shipping hub during the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
A video obtained by AFP showcased the purported drone attack as a naval drone swiftly approached a military vessel before abruptly losing connection. The Ukrainian attack reportedly targeted the Olenegrorsky Gornyak landing ship at the Novorossiysk naval base in southern Russia, with a Ukrainian security source affirming its success.
“The goal was to show that Ukraine can attack any Russian warship in that zone,” the source added.
However, Russia claimed to have thwarted the attack on the base by the Ukrainian armed forces, utilising two unmanned sea boats. The Black Sea Fleet of Russia has been under target since the beginning of Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine over a year ago, but incidents have surged in recent weeks.
In a separate incident, a Russian tanker in the Kerch Strait was hit by Ukrainian drones, briefly halting traffic on a strategic Crimean bridge. The damaged tanker was identified as the chemical tanker SIG, subject to US sanctions for supplying jet fuel to Russian forces in Syria.
Throughout Moscow’s Ukraine offensive, Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, has been a target for Ukrainian attacks, with recent weeks seeing intensified assaults. Ukrainian drone strikes in July resulted in an ammunition depot explosion and damage to a strategic bridge across the Kerch Strait.
The Russian defence ministry reported downing 13 drones over Crimea, with no recorded casualties or damage.
Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited the combat zone in Ukraine to inspect a command post and meet senior military officers, expressing appreciation for the success of offensive operations in Lyman, eastern Ukraine.
Despite a counteroffensive by Ukraine in late summer and early autumn 2022, retaking territory around Kherson and Kharkiv, recent advances have been modest due to well-entrenched Russian defensive positions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the counteroffensive as difficult, reporting intense fighting in key areas on the eastern and southern fronts. Ukrainian forces in the southern sector are making gradual but persistent progress, according to Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar.
