Moscow [Russia], February 15: Attacks by Ukrainian drones in the Black Sea severely damaged and sunk a warship from Russia's Black Sea Fleet, according to Ukraine's intelligence service and media reports.
Ukrainian forces struck the Russian landing ship Caesar Kunikov with Magura V5 naval drones overnight, Ukraine's military intelligence service HUR said on Wednesday.
The attack occurred just off the coast of the Crimean peninsula near the town of Alupka, a part of Ukraine that was occupied and annexed by Russia in 2014 in violation of international law.
The agency published a video apparently showing the moment of the attack. The extent of the damage could not initially be independently verified.
There has been no reaction from the Russian side so far, other than to say that six Ukrainian drones were shot down over the Black Sea during the night.
The Ukrainian military has repeatedly sunk or at least severely damaged Russian warships with missiles and naval drones.
The Russian Black Sea Fleet has now been largely pushed out of the western part of the Black Sea.
The new commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, and Defence Minister Rustem Umyerov inspected sections of the front lines near the eastern Ukrainian towns of Avdiivka and Kupyansk, which have seen intense fighting in recent weeks.
"The operational situation is extremely difficult and tense," Syrskyi wrote in a post on Telegram on Wednesday.
He said that Ukrainian troops in the area were outnumbered by Russian attackers, and that the Russian air force has been striking with guided bombs and Russian artillery has continuously pounded Ukrainian positions.
Reserves are being brought in to reinforce Ukraine's forces, Syrskyi said.
For several days, military observers on both sides of the conflict have been reporting a deteriorating situation for Ukrainian troops in and around Avdiivka.
After months of fighting, the corridor for supplying the garrison has shrunk to less than five kilometres. Russian troops are closing in on the main supply route, raising the threat of encirclement for the Ukrainian defenders.
Source: Qatar Tribune
