Ukrainian intelligence published a video on Thursday that purportedly shows the moment Kyiv's forces destroyed a Russian tugboat near annexed Crimea using naval kamikaze drones.

"Maritime strike. All hits on target. Minus one more enemy ship," Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) spokesperson Andriy Yusov said during a national broadcast.

The HUR said one of its units successfully attacked and destroyed a Russian "Saturn" tugboat.

The Context

Kyiv has targeted Russia's Black Sea Fleet throughout President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of the country, which began in February 2022. Ukraine has vowed to reverse the Russian leader's 2014 annexation of Crimea, which now serves as Moscow's central logistics hub for its forces in southern Ukraine.

What We Know

"On June 6, a special unit of the 9th Department of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine off the coast of the temporarily occupied Crimea successfully struck a Russian raid tugboat of the Project 498 Saturn or Protey," the HUR statement said.

"Another ship belonging to the Russian invaders was destroyed," it added. "The destructive fire damage was inflicted after a successful breakthrough of the Russian line of defensive barriers in the Black Sea."

Russia hasn't commented on the reported attack. Newsweek has contacted Russia's Defense Ministry for comment by email.

The HUR footage was shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Ukraine's Defense Ministry, which wrote: "Sea drones on the hunt — Saturn tugboat at the bottom of the Black Sea."

Ukraine has used its maritime attack drones on multiple occasions to target Russian vessels in Crimea.

Kyiv's military has repurposed some of its maritime drones to be fitted with multiple-launch rocket systems to be deployed against Moscow's forces.

Views

"Location of the port which was attacked by naval kamikaze drones tonight," pro-Kyiv user Special Kherson Cat posted on X, formerly Twitter. "The sea barrier at the entrance to the port could be barely visible on the satellite imagery as well."

"What is more interesting for me than the destruction of the tug in this attack is the passage of a naval kamikaze drone through the sea barrier at the entrance to the port," they also said.

"I would even suggest that the primary objective of the attack could well be to test the capabilities of kamikaze drones in breaking through such barriers. As preparation for more complex and large-scale operations," the user continued.

What's Next?

Russia has been forced to relocate many of its warships away from Crimea to its Novorossiysk base in Russia's Krasnodar region as a result of ongoing Ukrainian attacks.

"Putin's continued illegal occupation of Ukraine is exacting a massive cost on Russia's Black Sea Fleet which is now functionally inactive," British Defense Minister Grant Shapps said in a post on X in April following Ukrainian strikes on the Crimean port city of Sevastopol.

Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war? Let us know via worldnews@newsweek.com.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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