Ukraine targets Russian frigate, oil rig amid overnight Black Sea attack, military says
on Google
Ukrainian drones attacked Russian frigate Admiral Makarov and an offshore drilling platform on the Black Sea, Unmanned Systems Forces commander Robert "Magyar" Brovdi said on April 6.
The frigate was allegedly struck in the port of Novorossiysk during an overnight mass attack that also saw the Sheskharis oil terminal once again set ablaze.
Footage posted by "Magyar" showed a large ship in the crosshairs of an approaching Ukrainian long-range drone, cutting out before reaching the target.
Battle damage assessment of the strike is still being carried out, "Magyar" wrote. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the success of the strike.
Meanwhile, a separate attack carried out by the 413rd Unmanned Systems Regiment, better known as "Raid," struck the Syvash offshore drilling platform, located west of the occupied Crimean peninsula.
Laid down in 2012, the Admiral Makarov became the Black Sea Fleet's flagship after its predecessor, the missile cruiser Moskva, was sunk in a surprise Ukrainian missile strike in spring 2022.
The Admiral Makarov is a carrier of Kalibr long-range cruise missiles, which are regularly used to target Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
In one of the first such attacks of its kind in history, the ship was targeted in a mass air and sea drone attack on occupied Sevastopol in October 2022.
Following assessments, the ship escaped with little to no damage. Yet, after more frequent sea drone attacks throughout 2023, the Black Sea Fleet was largely relocated to Novorossiysk.
Ukraine reported on March 6 successful strikes on the Admiral Makarov, as well as another frigate, Admiral Essen, though once again, the final damage assessment was inconclusive.
