Vladimir Putin’s naval fleet took yet another major blow yesterday after one if its most modern warships was ‘hit and sunk’ in a kamikaze sea drone strike by Ukraine.
The £51million patrol vessel Sergey Kotov – which only came into service during the war in 2022 – was struck near Feodosia, in occupied Crimea, bursting into flames.
Footage appeared to show the moment of the major explosion which lit up the night sky shortly after midnight just off the coast.
The vessel normally has a crew of 80, and the fate of those on board remains unclear. But the strike is just the latest in a succession of Putin’s warships in the region to be sunk during the war, hugely limiting his control of the Black Sea.
Ukrainian military intelligence quickly claimed yesterday’s successful attack, revealing that they used their own Magura V5 maritime drones to strike the Sergey Kotov.
The 308ft long patrol vessel “sustained damage to the stern, starboard and port sides” which led it to sink, a spokesman said.
“The fire defeat of the Kotov occurred in the territorial waters of Ukraine, not far from the Kerch Strait,” he added.
Ukraine had targeted and damaged the vessel previously, but the sinking will be another devastating blow to Putin.
When it was launched, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Alexander Vitko said: “I am confident that the fate of the ship will be successful. It cannot be different.”
Russian commentators reacted with despair to the news. Pro-war blogger Alexander Kots said: “The [Ukrainian] enemy had been chasing this patrol ship for a long time.
“Official reports alone included at least three attacks on it by unmanned boats….
“The crew ‘knew how to fight’ and was equipped with two anti-sabotage grenade launcher systems, an artillery mount, and two anti-aircraft systems…
“In the overnight attack, the crew fought off an attack by the drones, he said.
“The crew fought heroically until the end. This can be seen from the published video.
“But this time it was a story without a happy ending.”
While there was no official confirmation from the Russian side on the Sergey Kotov, pro-war outlets on Putin’s side admitted loss of the vessel.
“As a result of an attack by unmanned boats of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Black Sea Fleet patrol ship of project 22160 Sergey Kotov was lost,” reported Russian Telegram channel Military informant.
“The crew is alive.”
With respect to the latest sinking within the Russian fleet in Crimea, Ukrainian GUR military intelligence later confirmed the warship had been hit by “maritime drones”.
“All details of the defeat and the further fate of the ship are still being clarified,” reported Ukrainian Pravda.
Ukrainian Crimean Wind channel said the GUR “confirmed the destruction of the ship Sergey Kotov”
Pro-Putin war channel Rybar reported the Kotov was sunk, saying the crew’s fate was unclear.
Military channel Two Majors also acknowledged the warship had been attacked by kamikaze sea drones.
The Kotov was armed with a 76 mm AK-176MA artillery launcher, the Shtil-1 multi-channel anti-aircraft missile system, short-range anti-aircraft missile system 3M-47 Gibka, two small-sized remote-controlled anti-diversion grenade launchers DP-65.
Ka-27PS helicopters are usually based on the vessel.
Since the war began, Ukraine has devastated Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, sinking at least 80 Kremlin vessels, including at least 25 warships.
The Sergei Kotov is one of four patrol ships completed for the Russian Navy’s Project 22160. According to Ukraine, the vessel played a part in the attack on Snake Island on the first day of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, along with the Moskva cruiser.
The Moskva was sunk by Ukraine in 2022.
The latest sinking came on a night when the Crimean Bridge – the key transport link from Russia to the annexed territory – also came under sustained attack.
The £3billion crossing was closed to traffic for at least nine hours, though Russian sources denied the structure was damaged.
At least five “powerful explosions” were heard in Kerch, at the Crimean end of the 12-miles road and rail crossing.
Nine trains were blocked – four from Crimea and five to the peninsula, reported RIA Novosti state news outlet.
The bridge was reported to be finally open again after 8am local time today flooding the nine-hour closure.
Separately, Ukraine also shot down 18 of 22 Shahed-type attack drones launched by Russia overnight, reported the Kyiv air force.
Mobile fire groups and anti-aircraft missile units of the Ukrainian Air Force repelled an intense attack over Odesa region.
