Black Sea Russian warship hit in drone attack, Kyiv claims
Moscow denies that Olenegorsky Gornyak was damaged and says drones were destroyed.
A Russian warship was damaged in an attack by Ukrainian naval drones in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, sources in Kyiv have said.
The Olenegorsky Gornyak landing ship was “seriously holed and cannot fulfil its combat tasks”, according to a source from the Security Service of Ukraine. “The Russians’ claims that they repelled the attack are fake.”
Video published by Unian news agency and said to have been taken from the sea drone allegedly captured the moment it hit the ship overnight.
The agency said that the drone was carrying 450kg of explosives. Footage circulating on social media showed a ship, believed to be the Olenegorsky Gornyak, listing to one side while being towed.
Moscow earlier claimed that two drones has been destroyed and there had been no damage or casualties. Blurred video purported to show one of the drones exploding.
APA Novorossiysk city official said the attack on the Olenegorsky Gornyak landing ship had been repelled.
The 112.5m Olenegorsky Gornyak is one of three landing ships from Russia’s Northern fleet that has been in the Black Sea since Russia invaded Ukraine in February last year. It is fitted with artillery and Grad rocket systems and can carry up to 225 marines.
Novorossiysk is a hub for oil exports from Kazakhstan, which arrive by pipeline and are transferred to tankers.
The Times
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