Ukraine releases video claiming to sink Russian warship

Ukraine tung video tuyên bố đánh chìm chiến hạm Nga - 1 — The image is described as the sunken Russian warship after the Ukrainian attack (Photo: Ukrainian Army).

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Agency released a video on February 1 that it described as Kiev sinking the Ivanovets, a Russian missile corvette in northwestern Crimea. According to Ukraine, the attack took place on January 31 and was carried out by the 13th Special Forces Unit.

Russia has not commented on this information. Business Insider has not verified the information. It is difficult for a third party to confirm information provided by one side in the war, because it could be a psychological tactic.

Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Agency did not provide details on the type of weapon used in the reported attack, but shared footage showed at least four of the country's navy's suicide boats being deployed.

Ukraine released a video claiming to have sunk a Russian warship (Video: Ukrainian Army).

The footage appears to show suicide boats approaching the ship, with one ramming the stern and another leaving a large hole in the port side. The attacks were carried out in quick succession.

Then there was a huge explosion. The ship appeared to list heavily before it capsized completely, its bow pointing up into the air.

The ship is estimated by Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Agency to be worth between $60-70 million. Ukrainian officials said a Russian search and rescue operation was unsuccessful.

Ukraine has developed at least two types of attack drones, including the missile-firing Cossack Mamai as well as the fast-moving Sea Baby.

According to KCFH.ru, a website that closely monitors the activities of the Black Sea Fleet, Ivanovets is a Tarantul-class corvette equipped with supersonic anti-ship missiles as well as anti-aircraft missiles.

If Russia does indeed lose the ship, it would be a beneficial scenario for Ukraine, extending Kiev's success in undermining the capabilities of Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

In the first months of the war, the Black Sea Fleet lost its flagship Moskva. Over the past 20 months, Russia has continued to suffer losses of equipment. In December 2023, British Defense Secretary Grant Shapp estimated that Russia had lost 20% of its Black Sea Fleet ships in four months.

Experts close to Ukraine's Defense Ministry told Newsweek that Kiev is aiming to " demilitarize " the Black Sea Fleet as part of a larger strategy aimed at eventually retaking Crimea.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, Director of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Service, announced last week that Kiev would continue to conduct military operations against Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. The Ukrainian general explained that one of the priorities of such missions is to destroy the Russian military's logistics lines on the peninsula.

The Crimean Peninsula in the Black Sea has become a key area for Russia to launch its military campaign in Ukraine. From here, Russia has controlled a large area of territory in southern Ukraine. Crimea still serves as a base from which Russia deploys aircraft and warships close to Ukraine.

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