Ukraine Carries Out Sea Drone Attack on Russian Naval Base, Videos Show Damaged Warship
Kyiv, Ukraine (CNN) – Ukraine has claimed responsibility for a sea drone attack on a Russian naval base, as videos emerged showing a severely damaged Russian warship in the Black Sea. Social media images indicated that the ship was being towed near the Novorossiysk naval base, despite initial reports from the Russian defense ministry claiming that the attack had been repelled.
According to a Ukrainian source who spoke to CNN, a sea drone armed with 450 kilograms of TNT targeted the ship, which allegedly contained around 100 Russian servicemen. The source stated, “A big navy ship, Olenogorsky Gornyak, was hit. As a result, the Russian ship sustained serious damage and is unable to fulfill its duties.”
The Ukrainian source and Russian military bloggers identified the vessel as the Olenogorsky Gornyak, an amphibious Russian landing ship. CNN obtained a video showing an unmanned sea drone approaching a ship that appears to match the one seen listing in the port of Novorossiysk. The video, which lasted only 36 seconds, captured the drone approaching the ship at night, ending just as the drone reached its target.
The Ukrainian source revealed that the attack was a joint operation between the Security Service of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Navy. Novorossiysk, located near the Russian city of Krasnodar, is a significant port and serves as a base for Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian presidential adviser, responded to reports of the drone strike by emphasizing the role of drones in changing the rules of engagement. He wrote on social media, “Drones are changing the rules of the game, returning the waters to full-fledged foreign jurisdiction, and ultimately destroying the value of the Russian fleet. Therefore, the presence of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea and Moscow’s traditional blackmail will come to an end. Ukraine will ensure freedom and security in the Black Sea for world trade.”
Contrary to video evidence, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported that the port of Novorossiysk was operating normally after the alleged drone attack. The agency cited the Russian Seafarers Union, stating that “cargo operations are going on as planned.” Regional governor Veniamin Kondratiev claimed that the Russian military had repelled the attack by two surface drones and that there were no casualties or damage.
In a separate incident, Russia’s defense ministry announced that its air defenses thwarted 10 Ukrainian drones over Crimea and suppressed three others using electronic resources. The defense ministry stated that there were no casualties or damage resulting from the “foiled terrorist attack.”
This attack comes amid escalating tensions in the Black Sea, with Russia’s withdrawal from a critical grain deal and renewed blockades on Ukraine’s ports. Additionally, Russia has launched a sustained bombardment of Ukrainian infrastructure and grain storage facilities.
Ukraine has previously targeted Russian naval assets in the Black Sea, notably sinking Russia’s flagship guided-missile cruiser Moskva in April 2022.
As Ukraine’s sea drone program has developed, it has increasingly enabled the military to attack and surveil Russia’s fleet in the Black Sea and Crimea. Recently, Ukraine has intensified strikes on Russian territory, indicating a change in tactics and rhetoric.
President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the war is “gradually returning” to Russia, following accusations from the Kremlin that Kyiv has been targeting Moscow with drones. Zelensky declared, “Ukraine is getting stronger, and the war is gradually returning to Russia’s territory, to its symbolic centers and military bases. This is inevitable, natural, and absolutely fair.”