According to Russian information, 16 drones were fired at the Black Sea Fleet in Crimea. One hits the minesweeper “Ivan Golubez”. Moscow speaks of “a terrorist attack” – and claims to have recognized a connection to the explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines.
According to Russian information, a warship of the Black Sea Fleet was hit in the drone attacks on the Crimean Peninsula, which was annexed by Russia. The Defense Ministry in Moscow announced that the mine clearance ship “Iwan Golubez” and installations in a bay were slightly damaged. The attacks were carried out under the guidance of British specialists in Ukraine. These units were also responsible for the attacks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 Baltic Sea gas pipelines in September, the ministry claimed.
“This morning at 4:20 a.m. the Kiev regime carried out a terrorist attack on the ships of the Black Sea Fleet,” the ministry said. A total of 16 drones were fired at Sevastopol, nine unmanned aerial drones and seven naval drones. Most were intercepted. Nevertheless, the minesweeper “Ivan Golubez” and a fortification in the port showed slight damage – there is no question of damage to the flagship “Admiral Marakov”.
The ministry pointed out that the Black Sea Fleet warships are involved in the agreement concluded through Turkey and the United Nations to export grain from Ukrainian ports. Russia had repeatedly threatened to rupture the agreement in the event of acts of terrorism or sabotage.
The governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Rasvoschaejew, who had been appointed by Moscow, had previously informed about the attacks. He urged residents not to post videos of the drone strike on social media. “It should be clear to everyone that Ukrainian Nazis urgently need such information in order to understand how our city’s defenses are structured,” he says. According to Razvozhaev, no “civilian infrastructure” was damaged by the morning attack.
According to the authorities, ferry traffic in the bay has been stopped for safety reasons. Sevastopol is important as the base of the Black Sea Fleet. Ukraine has repeatedly said it will take back Crimea, which Russia has occupied since 2014. Drones have been shot down there again and again for months. As recently as Thursday, Raswoschaeyev announced that a drone had been intercepted as it approached a power plant. The peninsula is also repeatedly shaken by explosions, for which Russia blames Ukraine.
