Ukrainian naval drones ‘sink Russian warship’ in Black Sea

A Ukrainian Magura V5 naval drone sank the Sergey Kotov. The ICC, below, issued arrest warrants for two senior Russian officers place at the port of Feodosia, in Crimea,whichrussiaannexed in 2014.

Ambrey said it has seen footage taken by a crew member on a merchant vessel in the port, showing the Sergey Kotov firing at the drones.

The ship was hit at least twice, with the second strike resulting in a large blast, Ambrey reported.

The sinking of such a modern ship would be a significant loss and an embarrassing blow for Moscow, even though there are dozens of other vessels in its Black Sea fleet.

Kyiv’s forces are struggling to keep the better-provisioned Russian army at bay at some points along the largely static 930-mile front line, but are also taking aim at targets beyond the battlefield.

Last month, Ukraine claimed it twice sank Russian warships using drones.

On February 1, it claimed to have sunk the Russian missile-armed corvette Ivanovets, and on February 14 it said it destroyed the Caesar Kunikov landing ship.

Russian officials did not confirm these claims.

Kyiv officials say some 20 per cent of Russian missile attacks on Ukraine are launched from the Black Sea, and hitting Russian ships there is embarrassing for Moscow.

Almost a year ago, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, the Moskva guided-missile cruiser, sank after it was heavily damaged in a missile attack.

Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for two highranking Russian military officers on charges linked to attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

The court yesterday announced warrants for Russian Lieutenant General Sergei Ivanovich Kobylash, who was commander of the Longrange Aviation of the Aerospace Force at the time of the alleged crimes.

Also wanted is Russian navy Admiral Viktor Kinolayevich Sokolov, who was the commander of the Black Sea Fleet.

They are wanted for the war crime of directing attacks at civilian objects, and causing excessive incidental harm to civilians or damage to civilian objects, and the crime against humanity of inhumane acts.