Ukraine claims it destroyed Russian patrol ship near Kerch Strait

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – Ukraine’s military intelligence on Tuesday claimed that it destroyed a Russian patrol ship near the Kerch Strait between mainland Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) said in a statement on Telegram that it conducted an overnight attack on the Sergey Kotov patrol ship, which it said belongs to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

The statement further said that the attack it conducted with naval drones damaged the ship’s stern, as well as its port and starboard sides.

“The mission took place in cooperation with the Naval Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine,” the statement further said.

It went on to claim that the cost of the sunken ship is about $65 million.

Russian authorities have not yet commented on the claim.