Jacob Brown
A Russian patrol ship has been plunged into the Black Sea after being struck by sea drones, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
Incident Details
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, reports emerged alleging that the Russian Black Sea fleet ship Sergei Kotov was hit, resulting in damage to the stern, right, and left sides.
Ukraine’s military intelligence service reported the incident, stating that sailors on board had been killed and injured. The Kremlin has not yet commented on the matter, but some Russian bloggers have confirmed the sinking.
Extent of Damage
The exact extent of the damage to the Sergei Kotov remains unverified, as the BBC has not been able to independently verify the incident.
Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk stated that the ship is currently on the seabed, with speculation that a helicopter may have been on board at the time of the incident.
Background of Sergei Kotov
The Sergei Kotov is one of four patrol ships completed for the Russian Navy’s Project 22160. It had previously been attacked by Ukraine in September of the previous year.
The vessel was allegedly involved in the attack on Snake Island during the initial days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, along with the Moskva cruiser, which was sunk by Ukraine in the same year.
Recent Tensions
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have escalated in recent months, with Ukraine repeatedly targeting Russia’s Black Sea fleet stationed in the Crimean peninsula, which was illegally annexed by Russia almost a decade ago.
The reported sinking of the Sergei Kotov adds to the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
Video Evidence
A video posted on social media purportedly shows the moment when the ship was hit. However, the authenticity of the video remains in question.
BBC Verify has analyzed the footage, which lacks visible identification numbers on the ship’s side, making it unclear if it is indeed the Sergei Kotov.
Despite efforts to verify the video, no other versions have surfaced through reverse image searches, suggesting that it was recently released.
Conclusion
As the situation unfolds, the alleged sinking of the Sergei Kotov underscores the heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
With conflicting reports and unverified evidence, the incident adds complexity to an already volatile situation in the region.
