Ukraine sinks Russian patrol ship Izumrud with naval drone

English Posted on  —by Carro e motos
Project 22460 patrol ship, from the same class as the Izumrud. Illustrative photo: Wikimedia
Project 22460 patrol ship, from the same class as the Izumrud. Illustrative photo: Wikimedia

The Ukrainian Navy announced the sinking of the Russian patrol ship Izumrud, operated by the Federal Security Service (FSB), during an operation conducted near the port of Novorossiysk.

According to Kyiv, the attack was carried out using the Sargan-3000, an unmanned surface vessel developed in Ukraine and recently incorporated into the country’s naval forces. Ukrainian authorities claim that members of the Russian vessel’s crew were killed and injured.

The episode also carries strong symbolic significance for Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian Navy, the Izumrud took part in the Russian operation in the Kerch Strait in November 2018, when three Ukrainian vessels were seized and their crews were detained for nearly a year. After announcing the attack, the naval force stated that the action represented retaliation for that episode and indicated that further operations could follow.

Izumrud
Izumrud patrol ship – 2018. Photo: Telegram @war_home

The Izumrud belonged to the Rubin class, or Project 22460, which consists of patrol ships used by the FSB for coastal surveillance missions. In recent months, other vessels of the same class have also been targeted by Ukrainian attacks, including the Rasul Gamzatov and two patrol ships struck in occupied Crimea, suggesting a strategy aimed at weakening this segment of the Russian fleet.

Izumrud patrol ship. Photo: Telegram @war_home
Satellite image of the Izumrud patrol ship. Photo: Telegram @war_home

The attack highlights Ukraine’s growing use of naval drones in the Black Sea. In addition to the Sargan-3000, the country already uses platforms such as the Magura V5 and Sea Baby in operations against Russian targets. Since part of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet was transferred from Sevastopol to Novorossiysk, the port has come under frequent attack, demonstrating that the relocation did not eliminate the vulnerability of Russian vessels in the region.

+ Ukraine claims it carried out unprecedented attack using naval drone and ground robot

Source and images: X @UA_NAVY | Telegram @war_home | Wikimedia | This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team

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