Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian warship off the coast of Crimea, Ukraine’s military claims.

The Caesar Kunikov large landing ship was attacked by naval drones on Wednesday, Kyiv says, as videos emerged showing a column of smoke rising over the water.

Ukraine’s Military Intelligence, known by its Ukrainian acronym GUR, said its special operations unit “Group 13” sank the Kunikov.

The Russian military did not immediately comment on the claim, saying only that it downed six Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea overnight.

It comes after Moscow’s ambassador to the UK insisted on Tuesday that “Russia cannot be beaten” because of its “enormous” resources.

A video released by Ukraine’s military intelligence appears to show the attack on the Kunikov.

Taken from the point of view of one or more sea drones, the clip appears to show the unmanned vehicle approaching the warship.

‘Russia cannot be beaten, our resources are enormous’, Putin’s top diplomat in UK tells Sky News

Three children among seven killed in Russian drone attack on Kharkiv, says Ukraine

Who is Ukraine’s new army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi? The Soviet-born ‘snow leopard’ who became a Ukrainian hero

Later, the video appears to show the warship on its side, apparently sinking after the attack.

Read more:
Ukraine says Russia is ‘sinking ships’ to protect Crimean bridge
The Soviet-born ‘snow leopard’ who became a Ukrainian hero

Despite not having a large conventional navy, Ukraine has been able to wage war on Russia’s vaunted Black Sea Fleet using armed drones as well as Neptune missiles.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence said on X: “At the time of the attack, the ship was in the territorial waters of Ukraine, near Alupka.”

It comes after the reported sinking of a Russian missile boat earlier this month, and the famous destruction of the flagship Moskva cruiser.

Related posts:

Russia will face ‘protracted crisis’ if it invades Ukraine, Johnson and Biden warn ‘Protect your homeland’: Ukrainian president urges politicians who have fled the country to return ‘Today will go down in history’: Russia says Western ‘propaganda’ has failed ‘without a single shot fired’ Warnings that places are reaching capacity to house Ukrainian refugees after 10 million flee homes US Olympic basketball star appears in Russian court on drug charges as trial date set With a long list of issues dividing them, what did China want when President Xi met Joe Biden? Russian ship ‘spying’ around wind farms off UK coast in possible sabotage plot 84-year-old white man pleads not guilty to shooting black teen who knocked on wrong door UK has an obligation to help Afghans at risk from Taliban, former diplomat says Armed Russian inspection of Black Sea cargo ship shown on video Royal state visit to Kenya will acknowledge ‘painful aspects’ of shared history Harrowing details of sieges emerge as thousands flee after army bases in Sudan captured