Ukraine has hit a Russian salvage ship off the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula.
The extent of the damage is unclear – but according to Ukraine, the ship “may no longer be able to carry out its missions”.
– This is another blow against the Black Sea Fleet, says Lieutenant Colonel Joakim Paasikivi.
The Russian Black Sea Fleet’s oldest salvage ship Kommuna has been attacked. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the attack took place on the Crimean peninsula and the damage is now being investigated, writes the AFP news agency.
The vessel was launched in 1915 and has since been used for deep sea work, including the salvage of submarines and sunken cargo. Now it can no longer carry out its missions, says Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletentyuk.
– This will continue until the Russians run out of ships or leave Crimea, he says.
Russian dilemma in Crimea
Despite its advanced age, the ship has been an important resource for the Russian defense.
– Even if the ship is over 100 years old, it has the ability to carry rescue submarines or rescue craft submarines. It is not a decisive blow against the Russian fleet, but another blow, says lieutenant colonel Joakim Paasikivi.
Ukraine has previously attacked various types of targets in Crimea. Including several military bases.
– You hit all kinds of targets. Recently it was an air base and there have been other logistics bases. This is a way for Ukraine to make it very difficult for Russia and the Russian military to exploit Crimea at all.
“More often a hit than not”
From the Russian side, they say instead that they succeeded in warding off an attack in the port.
– Fallen fragments caused a small fire, which was immediately extinguished, says the Russian governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, according to AFP.
According to Joakim Paasikivi, this is often how the Russian attitude looks – even if this is not the case.
– However, the most common thing seems to be that the Russian ships and aircraft stop the robots by being hit. It is clear that Russia has some ability to shoot down, but when photographic evidence and satellite images arrive, it is more often a hit than when it is not, he says.