Ukraine says naval drones struck two crewed Russian warships in Crimea

International News | The Hill

The Ukrainian military struck two Russian military transport ships with sea-based drones Thursday evening, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry announced.

The transport ships were crewed and carried armored vehicles for transport in the Black Sea, the Ukrainian military claimed, also publishing video of the attacks. It was unclear whether the ships were sunk.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry claimed similar transport ships were being used as makeshift anti-aircraft platforms around Crimea.

The Russian military has not commented on the attacks, but it claimed two Ukrainian aerial drones were shot down over Crimea overnight.

Ukraine has focused strikes on Russia’s naval forces in recent months, including other sea-based drone attacks, as well as artillery and air strikes.

In August, a pair of sea-based drones damaged a warship and a Russian tanker in the Black Sea near Crimea. The drones are small vessels piloted by remote controls that ram into targets and explode.

A month later, a set of air strikes severely damaged a shipyard and the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, Crimea. Ukraine claimed the Russian Black Sea Fleet commander was killed in the headquarters attack.

On Saturday, Ukraine launched 15 cruise missiles toward another Crimean shipyard, with two hitting targets and damaging a warship, Ukraine claimed.