Russia’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday that three Ukrainian sea drones targeted two Black Sea Fleet patrol boats in a second unsuccessful attack near annexed Crimea in two weeks.
The patrol boats, Sergei Kotov and Vasily Bykov, perform control-of-navigation tasks 340 kilometers southwest of the Russian Navy’s Black Sea Fleet base in Sevastopol.
“All three unmanned enemy boats were destroyed by fire from the ships’ standard weapons,” the Defense Ministry said.
The Sergei Kotov was targeted in a similar sea drone attack that was thwarted on July 24, according to the Russian ministry.
Hostilities around the Black Sea have escalated after Russia pulled out of an agreement that had allowed the safe export of Ukrainian grain.
The latest attack came two days after Russia marked its annual Navy Day holiday Sunday.
Last month, seaborne drones struck the Crimea bridge, killing two people and triggering a string of deadly “retribution” attacks by Moscow on southern Ukraine.
Kyiv has not claimed responsibility for any of the attacks.
AFP contributed reporting.
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