Ukraine Continues Attacks on Russia’s Black Sea Patrol Boats
The Security Service of Ukraine is reporting that it damaged two more of Russia’s patrol boats used to protect key assets in the Black Sea. It is part of a series of systematic attacks targeting the boats and Russian shipping used to supply Crimea.
The Ukrainian Navy reported that it used long-range drones to attack two patrol boats in the port of Kerch. It said the vessels Balaklava and Kerch were damaged in these latest strikes. The SBU reports it is consistently working to reduce Russia’s strength and that military facilities, fuel and energy complexes, and other targets remain under attack.
Few details were provided on this latest attack, which was announced on August 6. The two vessels are part of the Project 10410 class used for coastal patrols. Reports said these two vessels were being used to protect the Crimean Bridge, a strategic logistics route and high-value military target. Ukraine has attacked the bridge in the past, seeking to interrupt the flow of military equipment, supplies, and fuel into Crimea.
The Project 10410 vessels, known as the Svetlyak class, date to the late 1980s and are approximately 50 meters (161 feet) in length. They are reported to be fast boats with a speed of approximately 30 knots and a crew of up to 28. Russia is believed to have as many as 33 of the vessels still in service, although the number could be less based on Ukraine’s claims of attacks.
Balaklava Patrol boat (Alexxx1979 - CC BY-SA 3.0)
The most recent attack came as Ukraine reported it also launched drones against one of Russia’s largest fuel refineries. The Slavneft-YANOS refinery is more than 700 km (nearly 440 miles) inside Russia from the border with Ukraine. SBU said four fuel tanks were damaged and were leaking. Two tankers were said to be on fire.
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Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense reported in July that its forces had struck a record 236 ships. It highlighted that Ukrainian middle-strike drones now control not only land supply routes but sea routes as well, including in the Sea of Azov and around the Kerch Strait. It said the number of strikes at ranges of 50 km and beyond (over 30 miles) rose by 74 percent in July.
Among the strikes last month was the Russian patrol boat Izumrud. It was one of Russia’s newer vessels, having been built in 2014 and used to guard Novorossiysk. Ukraine claimed to have deployed one of its newest generation surface drones, the Sargan-3000, against the 62-meter (203-foot) patrol boat. Ukraine said sailors have been killed and injured in that attack and later released a satellite photo showing the severe damage and the vessel largely submerged at its dock.
