By Smartencyclopedia (SNB)*

According to a report by AFP on Saturday, Ukraine conducted a sea drone strike targeting a Russian oil tanker in the Kerch Strait, just one day after a Russian ship was hit in the Black Sea. This incident marks the latest attack in the region, occurring in the aftermath of Moscow’s withdrawal from the Black Sea grain deal amid the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

Fortunately, the crew of the oil tanker remained safe, but the attack resulted in damage to the engine room, as reported by the Maritime Rescue and Coordination Center of Novorossiysk on Saturday. In response to the incident, a group of rescuers and two tugboats were dispatched to assist the tanker in distress.

The attack took place during the early hours of Saturday, causing loud noises that alarmed the residents of Kerch, a city situated on the eastern tip of Crimea. Due to the perceived threat of further attacks, the 19-kilometer-long Crimean Bridge, which connects mainland Russia to Crimea, was temporarily closed but later reopened.

The Ukrainian Security Service and Ukrainian Navy jointly carried out what they described as a “successful special operation” on Ukrainian territorial waters. They employed a naval drone armed with explosives to execute the operation.

As for the Russian oil tanker SIG, it was hit around 11:20 p.m. (2020 GMT) on Friday, south of the Kerch Strait, according to Russia’s Federal Agency for Sea and Inland Water Transport. Despite the attack, the ship remained afloat.

On the previous day, Ukraine claimed responsibility for a seaborne drone strike on the Russian warship, Olenegorsky Gornyak, which occurred at the Novorossiysk naval base in southern Russia. However, Russia’s Defense Ministry provided a conflicting account, stating that the armed forces of Ukraine attempted to attack the naval base with two unmanned sea boats. In response, Russian ships guarding the outer waters of the naval base detected and destroyed the unmanned boats using their standard weaponry.

The Russian statement made no mention of any damage resulting from the attack. The situation remains tense and is subject to ongoing developments.

*Source: With Agencies