KYIV, Ukraine (NEWSnet/AP) — A Russian naval ship in Crimea was damaged in an airstrike by Ukrainian forces, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
The landing ship Novocherkassk was hit at a base in the city of Feodosia by plane-launched guided missiles, the ministry said, adding that two Ukrainian fighter jets were destroyed by anti-aircraft fire during the attack. The Russia-appointed head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov, said one person was killed in the Tuesday attack.
Over the past several months, Ukrainian forces have conducted attacks around Crimea, mostly with sea drones.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy credits those attacks with allowing Ukraine to restore navigation in the Black Sea and allowing easier export of grain.
The Russian ministry didn't specify the extent to which the Russian ship was damaged, but videos circulating on Ukrainian channels showed a large fire in the port area. Ukrainian authorities claimed the ship was destroyed and said it was likely carrying an ammunitions shipment, possibly including drones.
The Ukrainian air force's Tuesday morning update said that Russia launched 19 drones, mostly against the Odesa and Mykolaiv regions — 13 of which were shot down — over the past night. The remaining drones caused infrastructure damage, but no casualties were reported, according to Ukraine’s presidential office.
Copyright 2023 NEWSnet and The Associated Press. All rights reserved.