Russia’s defence ministry said a Ukrainian attack by two sea drones had been repelled in the waters outside the base and that the drones had been destroyed. It made no mention of any damage in its short statement. A Ukrainian intelligence source said the Olenegorsky Gornyak, a Russian Navy landing ship with around 100 Russian servicemen on board, had been hit by a sea drone carrying 450 kgs of TNT. “As a result of the attack, the Olenegorsky Gornyak received a serious breach and currently cannot conduct its combat missions,” the source said, adding, the operation had been carried out by Ukraine’s security service and the navy. “All the Russian statements about a ‘repelled attack’ are fake.” Video footage showed the Olenegorsky Gornyak being towed to shore by a tug, listing heavily to its port side.
Andriy Ryzhenko, a retired Ukrainian Navy captain, estimated the sea drones had travelled 740 km from their likely launch area to Novorossiysk, which would amount to a significant increase in their range. “It was the first time … the Ukrainian navy projected power so far away,” he said. Ukraine referred to the Olenegorsky Gornyak without directly claiming responsibility for the attack. “We’ve open information that it is indeed damaged,” said a spokesman for the southern military command said, adding “it is absolutely legal to destroy the potential of the enemy in time of war.” Tensions in and near the Black Sea have escalated since Russia last month withdrew from a deal allowing the safe export of grain from Ukrainian ports.