Ukraine says its drones damaged a Russian warship, showing Kyiv’s growing naval capabilities

Ukraine has reported that it damaged a Russian warship through a drone attack, highlighting the evolving maritime strength of Kyiv as the Black Sea gains significance in the ongoing conflict.

The attack occurred on Friday at the Novorossiysk port, causing a temporary halt in marine traffic. This marks the first time a Russian commercial port has been attacked in this 18-month long conflict. Located roughly 60 miles east of Crimea, Novorossiysk houses a naval base, shipyards, and an oil terminal and is a crucial export hub.

The Ukrainian Security Service and the navy reportedly orchestrated the attack on the Russian navy landing vessel, the Olenegorsky Gornyak. An anonymous security service official revealed that the attack rendered the ship inoperative for combat missions.

Satellite imagery evaluated by The Big Big News showed what appeared to be oil leakage from the ship. A photograph from Planet Labs taken shortly post-attack displayed two dockside vessels, one of which matched the Olenegorsky Gornyak’s known dimensions and identifiable features. Social media posts further showed a leaning ship.

Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, thanked the Ukrainian Security Service for their efforts against the aggressor state but didn’t disclose any details from the SBU’s report. Ukrainian officials often employ indirect references to attacks on Russia and might not claim responsibility immediately.

Friday’s assault follows a series of strikes within Russia, including two in Moscow, and represents an escalation in Black Sea confrontations post-Kremlin’s withdrawal from a deal permitting Ukrainian grain exports through the sea.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has decided to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine for the war against Russia, a move announced on Friday, July 7, despite the UN’s pleas to refrain from using them.

Last Wednesday, Russian drones inflicted considerable damage and caused a major fire at grain facilities in the Odesa region. A day prior, the Russian military claimed Ukraine’s forces attempted to assault two Russian patrol vessels southwest of the Russian-controlled city of Sevastopol in Moscow-annexed Crimea.

Adviser to Zelenskyy, Mykhailo Podolyak, lauded the recent attack, highlighting how drones are transforming warfare strategies and diminishing the value of Russia’s fleet.

The latest strike hints at Ukraine’s efforts to alter the power dynamics in the Black Sea, where Russia’s superior navy has had the upper hand until now. Ukrainian military analyst Roman Svytan states that the recent assault illustrates Ukraine’s ability to strike any vessel of the Black Sea Fleet, irrespective of distance.

As Ukraine steps up its challenge against Russia’s naval dominance, it faces a daunting task. The Russian Black Sea Fleet, comprising close to 50 warships, seven submarines, and numerous support vessels, heavily overshadows Ukraine’s naval capabilities.

Notwithstanding this disparity, Ukrainian missiles last year managed to sink the fleet’s flagship, the Moskva missile cruiser, and obliterate the Saratov landing ship at the occupied port of Berdyansk. Reports also indicate damage to several other vessels.

Contrary to these claims, the Russian Defense Ministry insists it deflected Friday’s attack, destroying two Ukrainian sea drones. Various images and Russian military bloggers claim the Olenegorsky Gornyak was damaged, a fact that Ukrainian media outlets supported through footage supposedly from a drone’s onboard camera as it neared the Russian landing ship.

However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the attack during a press briefing.

In other developments, the U.N. atomic watchdog reported no mines or explosives on reactor units 3 and 4 of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant after gaining access the previous day. Saudi Arabia announced it would host a meeting on the Ukraine war attended by international security advisers and officials. The Russia-occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region reported that several Ukrainian drones were shot down near the Sea of Azov port city of Berdyansk.

This report includes contributions from Big Big News writers Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Geir Moulson and Yuras Karmanau in Berlin. For more coverage of the war in Ukraine, visit https://bigbignews.net/russia-ukraine.

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More about Ukraine-Russia Naval Conflict

• Ukraine’s growing naval capabilities
• The Novorossiysk port
• Black Sea conflict
• US supply of cluster munitions to Ukraine
• Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant
• Russia’s Black Sea Fleet
• The Kremlin’s responses to Ukraine’s naval advances
• Ukraine-Russia War