A rare £44 million Russian naval ship has suffered significant damage after being attacked by Ukrainian special forces in the Black Sea, it is claimed. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said the vessel has been “put out of action for expensive repairs” after crucial electronic systems were destroyed in the drone strike.
Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR) said the attack happened near Novorossiysk where Russia’s depleted Black Sea Fleet is now based. The 240ft MPSV07 was reportedly carrying out patrols and electronic reconnaissance near the entrance to the port when it was struck by a Ukrainian-made combat drone. Footage released by the HUR shows a kamikaze drone smashing into the bridge of a vessel.
Special forces from the HUR carried out the attack which the agency described as a “well-aimed blow”.
The UAV was targeting an area of the ship’s control bridge where navigation and communication equipment is located.
Russia has not commented on the attack.
Moscow is believed to have four multipurpose Project MPSV07 vessels, commissioned in 2015, which can reportedly be used for seabed inspection and salvage.
The ships are packed with diving systems, remotely operated vehicles, electronic intelligence equipment and sonar capabilities.
The attack is said to have happened on Wednesday — the same day 19 Russian drones violated Polish airspace, sparking anger and condemnation from NATO allies.
Moscow insisted the incident was a mistake, a claim which has been refuted by Warsaw.
Russia’s Black Sea Fleet has been heavily degraded during the war due to Ukrainian missiles and one-way attack drones.
Due to the continued heavy losses, Russia moved its major Black Sea Fleet assets from Sevastopol to Novorossiysk in the eastern Black Sea.
Intelligence suggests the Russians have also been forced into adapting their tactics due to the threat posed by Ukraine.
Russia’s Black Sea losses have been one of the most humiliating in Moscow’s three-and-a-half year war.
Ukraine has no operational warships in its navy but has still managed to inflict major losses on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, including the flagship Moskva in the early months of the conflict.
In February, British defence intelligence estimated Ukraine had destroyed or damaged “at least” 24 Russian vessels in the Black Sea.