Russian navy vessel damaged in drone attack - Ukrainian source (updated)

Novorossiysk Commercial Sea Port PAO

04/08/2023 09:09

(Adds details)
       Aug 4 (Reuters) - The Russian navy's Olenegorsky Gornyak
landing ship was damaged during a sea drone attack conducted by
Ukraine's SBU security agency and navy near the Russian port of
Novorossiysk on Friday, a Ukrainian intelligence source said. 
    "As a result of the attack, the Olenegorsky Gornyak received
a serious breach and currently cannot conduct its combat
missions," the source told Reuters. 
    "All the Russian statements about a 'repelled attack' are
fake," the source said. 
    Russia's defence ministry said earlier that Ukrainian sea
drones had attacked a Russian navy base near the Black Sea port
of Novorossiysk, a major hub for Russian exports, and were
destroyed by Russian warships. 
    The source shared a grainy video that looked like it had
been shot from the top of a maritime drone that sails right up
to the side of a large vessel before the video abruptly cuts out
and turns to pixels. 
    The video could not immediately be verified by Reuters. 
    Ukraine has repeatedly used sea drones packed with
explosives to try to strike back at the Russian navy fleet that
dominates the Black Sea and has allowed Moscow to prevent
Ukraine exporting grain via its favoured export route. 

 (Reporting by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Toby Chopra and
Philippa Fletcher)
 ((tom.balmforth@thomsonreuters.com;;))