On Thursday, Ukraine identified the five ships damaged in the recent Russian attack in Sevastopol as irreparable losses. The Ukrainian authorities confirmed the attack was carried out by the Russian military with the intention of neutralizing the maritime security threat posed by Ukrainian ships.
The attack involved a combination of projectile and rocket fire against the five vessels in the early hours of October 11th. The vessels, which Ukrainian Lieutenant-General Sergiy Kryvchenko stated were an irreparable loss, belonged to the Ukrainian Navy and included three minesweepers, a coastal defense ship, and a border patrol boat.
In a press statement issued shortly after the incident, the Ukrainian Navy claimed that all 5 vessels had sustained significant and irremediable damage. The extent of the damage has been widely reported with accompanying photos indicating that all vessels had been struck at least once, leaving them inoperable and completely destroyed.
The Ukrainian Navy also released information on the casualties of the attack. Five sailors were injured in the attack, while a further ten crew members are listed as missing or missing in action. The remaining crew members were rescued by special forces before the vessels suffered major damage.
The attack is the latest in a series of aggressive tactics employed by the Russian military forces to combat the Ukrainian Army, who have been accused of instability in the region. Russian state media has continued to deny any involvement in the attack, adding further support to the accusations of military aggression.
This latest incident highlights the continuing tensions between the two nations, with the Ukrainian government continuing to condemn the Russian military’s aggressive behavior. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy publicly called on the international community to take measures to stop the Russian aggression and prevent a further escalation of the conflict.
At the time of writing, no progress has been made to resolve the conflict or to repair the damage caused by the Russian attack. Until the situation is resolved, it is likely that tensions between the two countries will continue to remain high.
