Russia: A Russian tanker has reportedly been damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack in the Black Sea. Russia’s marine agency stated that the chemical tanker SIG (oil/chemical tanker) suffered a hole in the engine room near the waterline. There have been a series of drone attacks from Ukraine after Russia’s suspension of the Black Sea grain deal.
Tugboats were sent to help a tanker, which is currently under United States sanctions for aiding Russian forces in Syria. The attack left the tanker unable to operate independently, Russia’s Tass news agency said.
Traffic on the bridge connecting the Russian-controlled Crimean peninsula with the Russian mainland stopped for several hours before resuming early on 5th August 2023, as per the statement. No one was harmed in the attack.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials observed on 4th August 2023, that their drones had severely damaged the Russian warship Olenegorsky Gornyak. It was the first attack on a commercial Russian port since the war began in February 2023.
According to analysts, Kyiv aims to showcase its capability of striking Russian naval forces far from its borders. This move comes after Russia lost the majority of its navy following the 2014 annexation of the Crimean peninsula by Moscow. Kyiv has been seeking to challenge Russia’s dominance at sea during the ongoing conflict.
Despite being significantly outgunned by Russia’s naval forces, Ukraine’s navy has achieved several notable victories by employing unconventional weapons and tactics. One such example was the sinking of the flagship guided missile cruiser Moskva in April 2022.
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