Russia was forced to carry out a major sea rescue operation after the sinking of another of Vladimir Putin’s warships off the southern coast of annexed Crimea.
Footage showed the ship on fire as rescue ships, including a surface submarine, descended to the scene near the coast of the resort town of Alupka.
Moments later, the warship suffered a large explosion, believed to be the detonation of the stricken warship’s ammunition.
Ukrainian GUR military intelligence said it had attacked the ship with several marine drones, successfully sinking it.
‘On February 14, 2024, the Main Intelligence Directorate, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Defense and Security Forces, destroyed the large (Russian) landing ship Caesar Kunikov.
‘The successful mission was carried out by special forces of Group 13 of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. tThe Caesar Kunikov received critical breaches on the left side and began to sink.
The Russian Defense Ministry did not provide any confirmation, but the respected Russian blogging channel Rybar later corroborated the Ukrainian claims.
Rybar continued his scathing criticism of the Russian Black Sea Fleet following the successful attack.
‘Two years have passed since the start of the military operation. Among subordinate military personnel there are not the best reviews about the command of the Black Sea Fleet.
“This could still be attributed to ordinary complaints, if it were not for the fact that the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the collective West systematically destroyed the facilities of the Black Sea Fleet with fire.
‘At this point I just want to say: ‘It’s time to change focus.’ Otherwise, what’s the point?
kyiv intelligence agency released images of the drone attack
The Russian Defense Ministry did not provide any confirmation, but the respected Russian blogging channel Rybar later corroborated the Ukrainian claims.
Ukrainian GUR military intelligence said it had attacked the ship with several marine drones, successfully sinking it.
The ship can be seen listing in the sea with fire coming out of a hole in its hull.
The warship suffered a large explosion, believed to have been the detonation of the stricken warship’s ammunition.
Large landing ship Caesar Kunikov, part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet
“The General Intelligence Directorate decided to congratulate the occupiers in their own way on Valentine’s Day,” the Crimean Wind channel reported.
Another Ukrainian channel, Pravda Gerashchenko, said: “A Russian warship was attacked and sunk shortly after the explosions.”
Pro-Kremlin commentator Sergei Markov said the latest attack shows that Putin’s hopes of seizing the port of Odessa – his big prize on the Black Sea – have now been dashed.
‘Western experts and Zelensky even claim that in 2023 the Ukrainian Armed Forces won the great battle for the Black Sea.
‘Well, that is not true because the Ukrainian Armed Forces do not have their own ships in the Black Sea.
“But the naval drones of the Ukrainian Armed Forces really create big problems for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, and the probability of a major landing operation of the Russian army in Odessa and Mykolaiv is now only theoretical,” he concluded.
The Caesar Kunikov is a type of vessel used by Putin’s military to transport missiles and drones for attacks on Ukraine.
It is designed to support amphibious operations, carrying heavy armor, vehicles and other cargo before deploying them directly to shore.
The ship was damaged early in the war and its then captain, Alexander Chirva, died from wounds in 2022.
A US Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawk reconnaissance drone was also flying south of the incident making repeated loops over the Black Sea, according to the flight tracking portal Flightradar, which could provide information to Ukrainian forces.
It was between 62 and 75 miles south of the incident, before apparently returning to its base in Malta.
Two Russian Mi-8 helicopters were seen flying to and from the site of the attack on the landing ship today in an apparently desperate rescue operation in a calm sea.
Videos today showed an alleged Ukrainian attack on a Russian warship off the southern coast of annexed Crimea.
The ship was seen on fire as rescue ships, including a surface submarine, descended on the scene off the coast of the resort town of Alupka.
Captain Alexander Chirva of the Russian landing ship Caesar Kunikov, killed in the Ukrainian war
Blurry videos showed an explosion on the ship.
Large landing ship Caesar Kunikov, part of the Russian Black Sea Fleet
An armored vehicle disembarks from the landing ship Caesar Kunikov
Two Russian Mi-8 helicopters were seen flying to and from the site of the attack on the landing ship today in an apparent desperate rescue operation in a calm sea.
The attack on the Caesar Kunikov comes just two weeks after Ukraine destroyed the £55 million Black Sea missile ship Ivanovets.
The 184-foot warship was hit by multiple drones off annexed Crimea.
The operation was led by special forces of Group 13 of the Ukrainian military intelligence agency GUR.
The list of sunken ships includes the cruiser Moskva, the flagship of Putin’s Black Sea Fleet, which was hit by Neptune missiles in April 2022.
Putin has not yet given an exact figure for the losses on the sunken Moskva.
Several large landing ships have been sunk, including the most recent Novocherkassk, attacked on December 26, 2023.
At least 33 sailors are feared dead.