The Defense Blog reports that a Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian missile corvette Ivanovets appears to have caused a massive explosion in Kyiv’s largest strike against Russia’s navy since December.
The Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) has released footage capturing the destruction of the Russian Tarantul-III class missile corvette Ivanovets of the Black Sea Fleet at anchor in Donuzlav Lake in Crimea.
“This operation became possible with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine and the United24 platform. The enemy’s vessel was stationed in Donuzlav Lake in temporarily occupied Crimea. As a result of multiple direct hits to the Russian ship’s hull, it sustained damages incompatible with further navigation – Ivanovets listed aft and sank,” stated GUR.
During a massive attack by kamikaze drone boats, the vessel suffered several direct hits, including near the location of the P-270 Moskit anti-ship missiles, leading to their detonation and the complete submersion of the ship.
The Kviv Independent notes that one of the most unexpected developments of the full-scale invasion was how many big, expensive Russian ships were taken out by Ukraine, a country that technically has no navy.
Around 20% of Russia’s Black Sea fleet has been destroyed as of December 2023, according to National Security and Defense Council head Oleksii Danilov.
Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk on Nov. 17 said that Ukrainian forces have destroyed 15 Russian warships in the Black Sea and damaged 12 others since the start of the all-out war in February 2022. On Dec. 26, Ukraine scored its previous latest kill, the landing craft Novocherkassk.