Ukraine says it disabled a Russian Black Sea Fleet naval vessel in attack – which Moscow claims it foiled – on the Russian port of Novorossiysk. This was written by various Ukrainian Telegram channels and the Guardian. According to the Ukrainian intelligence service, the ship hit is the Olenegorsky Gornyak, which allegedly reported a hole in the hull and would now be out of order and tilted to one side.
According to the Ukrainian security services (SBU) the Olenegorsky Gornyak would have been hit by a marine drone with a loaded with 450 kilos of dynamite. The BBC reports it. A source of the Ukrainian security services confirmed to AFP “the involvement of the SBU in the attack”. The port of Novorossiysk has temporarily suspended all vessel movements, according to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which loads fuel on tankers in the port. The Olenegorsky Gornyak is designed for landing amphibious forces near shores.
Ukrainian intelligence spokesman Andrey Yusov said the events in Novorossiysk are a “big slap” for Putin’s regime. Rbc-Ukraine reports it. “In terms of safety, of course, this is a great loss for the occupying fleet and for the planning of further landing operations. The use of these ships becomes more problematic, and this is a serious factor that the occupiers will take into consideration,” added Yusov.
A video on Ukrainian social networks and Telegram channels, the veracity of which is not verifiable, shows a subjective view of an alleged maritime drone hitting the side of a ship. Another video shows a ship leaning on its side. On the other hand, the Russian Defense Ministry, as reported by Tass, responded to the Ukrainian statements claiming that “Early today, the armed forces of Ukraine launched two unmanned boats to attack the naval base in Novorossiysk. In response to the attack, Russian warships visually spotted and destroyed the vessels unmanned using (their) standard weapons”. The governor of the Krasnodar Territory, Veniamin Kondratyev, said on Telegram that the attack caused no damage or casualties.
Moscow, Shoigu visits Russian soldiers on the Ukrainian front
Russian Defense Minister Serghei Shoigu made a surprise visit to Russian soldiers on the Ukrainian front to inspect positions and to speak with officers, the Russian army said in a statement, without specifying the location. Shoigu “thanked the military commanders (…) for the offensive actions” against the Kiev armed forces in the Lyman area.