Ukraine attacks Russia's Black Sea Fleet

The Russian Defense Ministry said that the country's Armed Forces destroyed three unmanned boats of the Ukrainian Navy in the Black Sea, when they tried to attack them.

“In the early morning of August 1, the Armed Forces of Ukraine failed to attack the patrol boats Sergei Kotov and Vasily Bykov with three unmanned boats in the Black Sea,” the Russian Defense Ministry announced.

Notably, two Black Sea Fleet patrol vessels were performing security and transport control duties in the southwestern part of the sea, 340 km from Sevastopol. Since withdrawing from the Black Sea Grain Agreement, Russia has declared that any ship passing through the Black Sea to Ukrainian ports will be considered a legitimate military target. The Russian Defense Ministry stressed that the ships arriving in Ukraine at this time are likely to be carrying military cargo, and that cargo ships flying any flag will be considered a country in conflict.

Earlier, on July 30, CNN reported that Ukraine had publicly unveiled a new type of unmanned sea craft for the first time, as the country seeks to limit the operations of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. These vehicles carry hundreds of kilograms of explosives and can attack targets 800 kilometers away. This type of unmanned craft, designed and manufactured by Ukraine, is remotely controlled, and can perform reconnaissance, surveillance, attack and other missions.

Not only on the Black Sea, also on August 1, the Russian Defense Ministry said that Ukraine attacked Moscow with three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, two UAVs were shot down, and one was suppressed by electronic warfare and fell in the capital.

This is not the first time Russia has made accusations of Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow. Most recently, on July 30, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Ukrainian drones had attacked the Russian capital’s iconic business and financial district, home to some of Europe’s tallest skyscrapers. The resulting damage to the exteriors of two Moscow office towers resulted in no deaths or injuries.