KYIV, Ukraine—Russia's Defense Ministry stated on Tuesday that an attack by Ukrainian forces in Crimea had destroyed a Russian navy ship.
According to the ministry, plane-launched guided missiles struck the landing ship Novocherkassk at a base in the city of Feodosia. Two Ukrainian fighter fighters were also downed by anti-aircraft fire during the strike.
Ukrainian military have been attacking the area surrounding Crimea for the previous few months, primarily using sea drones.
Sergei Aksyonov, the leader of Crimea designated by Russia, reported that one person had died in the assault.
“The Russian fleet has become smaller,” Ukrainian air force Cmdr. Mykola Oleschuk said in a mocking message on the Telegram app.
The Russian ship's damage was not disclosed by the ministry, but footage that has been making the rounds on Ukrainian networks appeared to show a sizable fire in the port area. The ship was reportedly carrying a supply of weaponry, perhaps including drones, according to Ukrainian police, who also claimed the ship was destroyed.
“We saw how powerful were the blast and detonation. It’s extremely difficult for a ship to survive something like that,” Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat claimed on Radio Liberty.
According to Nataliya Gumenyuk, a spokesman for Ukraine's military southern command, landing ships like the Novocherkassk "are now used by the enemy almost constantly as logistics facilities, as transportation of important cargo," as reported by the UNIAN news agency.
About a month after the conflict began, in March 2022, an attack destroyed the Novocherkassk. However, according to Mr. Ihnat, it has since been used to move troops and weaponry to the partially Russian-held Zaporizhzhia area.
According to an update from the Ukrainian air force on Tuesday morning, Russia fired 19 drones during the course of the previous night, mostly targeting the Odesa and Mykolaiv districts, 13 of which were shot down. No injuries were recorded, but the surviving drones damaged infrastructure, according to Ukraine's presidential office.
