Ukraine claimed to have sunk a Russian patrol ship, Sergei Kotov, using naval drones on March 5, inflicting another significant blow to the Russian navy’s Black Sea fleet.
Ukrainian military intelligence posted a video showing the attack and stated that multiple naval drones damaged the stern, as well as the right and left sides of the ship.
The Ukrainian defense ministry, on X (formerly known as Twitter), sarcastically commented about the sinking by stating that “one more Russian ship had been upgraded to a submarine”.
📽️ Як топили «сєрґєя котова» ― відео знищення патрульного корабля чф рф
🔗 https://t.co/UNfZROKTBW pic.twitter.com/llI1MoWyDY
— Defence intelligence of Ukraine (@DI_Ukraine) March 5, 2024
The statement further indicated that Magura V5 naval drones were behind the attack.
While Russian officials have yet to comment, some Russian bloggers admitted the loss of Sergei Kotov.
The News Mill couldn’t independently verify the reports.
The Ukrainian navy stated that the ship is currently on the seabed and may have a Ka-29 transport and combat helicopter onboard.
According to reports, the ship was attacked near the Kerch Strait, which separates Crimea and Russia. There were 52 crew members on board the ship during the attack, with 7 sailors killed and another 6 injured. The remaining crew members may have been evacuated.
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Sergei Kotov
Sergei Kotov is one of the 4 Project 22160 patrol ships actively engaged in offensive missions against Ukraine. Two more ships of this class are under construction. Each vessel reportedly costs $65 million.
On February 24, 2022, the first day of the Russia-Ukraine war, Vasily Bykov and the Moskva cruiser participated in the Snake Islands attacks. Ukraine sank the Moskva with two Neptune missiles on April 14, 2022.
In August 2023, Ukraine claimed the attack on Sergei Kotov and Vasily Bykov, another Project 22160 ship, with sea drones causing damage. However, in the latest attack, Ukraine claimed to have sunk the Sergei Kotov patrol ship.
Magura V5: A big challenge to the Russian navy
Magura V5 is a Ukrainian multi-purpose unmanned surveillance vessel capable of performing a wide range of missions, including surveillance, reconnaissance, mine countermeasures, and combat missions. It has a range of 800 km and can carry a payload of 300 kg. The drone is equipped with an Inertial Navigation System, GNSS, and day and night EO/IR sensors.
In November 2023, Ukraine destroyed two Russian landing crafts docked at the Russian naval base in Chornomorske in western Crimea using Magura V5 drones.
On February 1, 2024, Ukrainian military intelligence shared a video showing six Magura V5 drones repeatedly hitting and destroying a Russian Navy corvette named Ivanovets.
On February 14, multiple Magura V5 drones attacked and sank a large Russian landing ship, Tsezar Kunikov.
Black Sea not safe for the Russian navy
Over the years, a significant number of Ukrainian sea drones have targeted several Russian navy ships and naval bases, as part of Ukraine’s attempt to isolate the Crimean Peninsula and make it more challenging for Russia to continue its operations.
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In November 2023, Ukraine initiated an international crowdfunding campaign with the goal of raising $25 million to acquire 100 domestically built naval drones. Each drone is priced at $250,000, aiming to enhance strikes on Russian ships and ports.
The UK defence ministry commented on the latest incident with the statement, “The Black Sea is not safe for Putin’s navy.”
Conclusion
The repeated loss of high-value assets from the Russian navy Black Sea fleet poses a significant concern, as it plays a pivotal role in conducting strikes in southern Ukraine. Despite Ukraine’s lack of long-range anti-ship missiles, naval drones present a serious threat to Russian Navy warships, affirming the UK defense ministry’s statement.
