Did Ukrainian Drone Hit Russian Recon Ship in Black Sea? What We Know
The Russian reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs that Ukraine said it had struck in the Black Sea appeared to return to the port of Sevastopol in Crimea on Friday, renewing speculation about whether an unmanned surface vessel was successful in reaching its target.
Russia's Ministry of Defense said in a statement that Ukraine launched an "unsuccessful" attack on the Ivan Khurs with sea drones on Wednesday. The ministry said the drones were "destroyed by fire from the standard armament of the Russian ship" prior to reaching the Ivan Khurs. The department released footage allegedly showing the destruction of one of the marine drones.
The Ivan Khurs is a Russian intelligence collection ship and was commissioned in June 2018. It's armed with two marine pedestal machine-gun mounts located on the deck and six 9K38 Igla surface-to-air missile system launchers. The ship is named after the late Vice-Admiral Ivan Khurs who "contributed to organizing and developing of the permanent naval intelligence service of the Soviet Navy," according to a Russian information website on the Black Sea Fleet.
The Russian navy intelligence collection ship Ivan Khurs is docked at the port of the Sudanese city of Port Sudan, on April 10, 2021. Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Ukraine launched an “unsuccessful” attack on the Ivan Khurs with sea drones on Wednesday. IBRAHIM ISHAQ/AFP/Getty Images
Ukraine's defense department later published a short clip on its social media channels that appeared to show an unmanned drone boat attacking the reconnaissance ship. The video showed the naval drone approaching the vessel but didn't show the drone striking the Ivan Khurs.
"When the Russian reconnaissance ship 'Ivan Khurs' met a Ukrainian drone. Indeed, a perfect match!" Ukraine's defense ministry tweeted.
The clip was shared on Twitter by Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's internal affairs ministry, who suggested that a third drone struck the reconnaissance ship.
When the russian reconnaissance ship "Ivan Khurs" met a Ukrainian drone.
Indeed, a perfect match! pic.twitter.com/mW3clD0vHh — Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) May 25, 2023
"I posted yesterday about a Russian Black Sea Fleet ship Ivan Khurs that was attacked by unmanned drones," wrote Gerashchenko. "Russia claimed 'the ship continues to carry out its functions' without mentioning its state. It seems the third drone did manage to damage the ship?"
Local news outlet Ukrainska Pravda cited a Ukrainian military source as saying that the ship was damaged in a Ukrainian naval drone attack and needed urgent repairs. "The Russians are now hastily fixing it," the source said.
⚡️No visible damage can be seen on Ivan Khurs pic.twitter.com/RtWkD3w0Mf — War Monitor (@WarMonitors) May 26, 2023
On Friday, videos circulated on Russian and Ukrainian Telegram channels of the Ivan Khurs ship returning to the port of Sevastopol in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula that was illegally annexed from Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2014.
While the clips didn't appear to show any obvious damage to the ship, it is unclear when the videos were filmed.
Russian daily newspaper Kommersant on Friday cited a source in Russia's Black Sea Fleet as saying that the ship had returned to its base in Sevastopol. The source said the ship wasn't damaged and that it is "ready to continue to carry out its tasks."
Russian officials have yet to comment on the ship's return to Sevastopol.
Newsweek has contacted the defense ministries of Ukraine and Russia for comment via email.
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Source: Newsweek
