[ad_1]
THIS is the dramatic moment Putin’s prized Sergey Kotov corvette is blown to pieces in a Ukrainian kamikaze sea drone attack.
Footage shows the £51million warship being hit multiple times in the early morning strike near Feodosia, in occupied Crimea.
The video shows the warship being blown up in a huge blast that eventually led to its sinking.
Ukrainian intelligence confirmed the strike and said the ship was entirely destroyed after they used their own Magura V5 maritime drones.
The warship “sustained damage to the stern, starboard and port sides” which led it to sink.
“The fire defeat of the Kotov occurred in the territorial waters of Ukraine, not far from the Kerch Strait,” a statement read.
It is not the first time Ukraine targeted and damaged the vessel.
One of Vladimir Putin’s most modern warships, the 308ft long patrol vessel Sergey Kotov came into service during the war in 2022.
The vessel normally has a crew of 80 – and the fate of those on board remains unclear.
The strike is a major blow to Putin’s crumbling Black Sea fleet as it would mark the 16th Russian warship to either be sunk or destroyed by Ukraine.
Last month, a squad of Ukrainian special officers blasted the 369ft Caesar Kunikov off the southern coast of annexed Crimea – killing everyone onboard.
This morning’s strike came on a night when the Crimean Bridge – the key transport link from Russia to the annexed territory – was also under sustained attack.
The £3 billion crossing was closed to traffic for at least nine hours but Russian sources denied the structure was damaged.
At least five “powerful explosions” were heard in Kerch, at the Crimean end of the 12-mile road and rail crossing.
Nine trains were blocked – four from Crimea and five to the peninsula reported RIA Novosti state news outlet.
While there was no official confirmation from the Russian side on the Sergey Kotov, pro-war outlets on Putin’s side admitted the loss of the vessel.
“As a result of an attack by unmanned boats of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Black Sea Fleet patrol ship of project 22160 Sergey Kotov was lost,” reported Russian Telegram channel Military informant.
“The crew is alive.”
Later Ukrainian GUR military intelligence claimed the warship had been hit by “maritime drones” early on Tuesday.
“All details of the defeat and the further fate of the ship are still being clarified,” reported Ukrainian Pravda.
Pro-Putin war channel Rybar reported the Kotov was sunk, saying the crew’s fate was unclear.
Military channel Two Majors also acknowledged the warship had been attacked by kamikaze sea drones.
The channel denied there was damage to the Crimean Bridge.
“One of the targets was the Crimean Bridge. The bridge is fine, the attack was repulsed.”
The bridge was reported to be finally open again after 8am local time today flooding the nine-hour closure.
Pro-war blogger Alexander Kots said: “The [Ukrainian] enemy had been chasing this patrol ship for a long time.
“Official reports alone included at least three attacks on it by unmanned boats….
The crew “knew how to fight” and was equipped with two anti-sabotage grenade launcher systems, an artillery mount, and two anti-aircraft systems…”
In the overnight attack, the crew fought off an attack by the drones, he said.
“The crew fought heroically until the end. This can be seen from the published video.
“But this time it was a story without a happy ending.”
The Kotov was armed with a 76 mm AK-176MA artillery launcher, the Shtil-1 multi-channel anti-aircraft missile system, short-range anti-aircraft missile system 3M-47 Gibka, two small-sized remote-controlled anti-diversion grenade launchers DP-65.
Ka-27PS helicopters could be based on the vessel.
Separately, Ukraine shot down 18 of the 22 Shahed-type attack drones launched by Russia overnight, reported the Kyiv air force.
Mobile fire groups and anti-aircraft missile units of the Ukrainian Air Force repelled an intense attack over Odesa region.
And another strike saw the Russian Gubkin oil depot being engulfed in flames in the Belgorod region.
Russia’s naval losses
VLADIMIR Putin has been left red-faced by a series of naval losses during the Ukriane war.
[ad_2]
Source link