Ukraine says it sank Russian patrol boats near Snake Island

Kyiv said on Monday its drones sank two Russian patrol boats near the Black Sea’s Snake Island, where Ukrainian soldiers rebuffed Moscow’s demands to surrender at the start of its invasion.

A Bayraktar TB2 drone at a military parade in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Kyiv said on Monday its drones sank two Russian patrol boats near the Black Sea’s Snake Island, where Ukrainian soldiers rebuffed Moscow’s demands to surrender at the start of its invasion.

“Two Russian Raptor boats were destroyed at dawn today near Snake Island,” Ukraine’s defence ministry said.

The ministry also released grainy black-and-white aerial footage showing an explosion on a small military vessel.

“The Bayraktars are working,” said Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, referring to the Turkish-made military drones.

Raptors are equipped with machineguns and used in reconnaissance or landings.

Snake Island became a symbol of resistance after a radio exchange went viral in which Ukrainian soldiers told an officer on the Russian Black Sea flagship to “go f..k yourself” after being told to surrender. The ship, the Moskva, sank last month following what Moscow said was an explosion on board. Ukraine said it had hit the cruiser with missiles.

AFP