Russia loses another warship in the Ukraine war. Kiev claims the attack as its own – the action was probably very well prepared.
Pillau – Russia has repeatedly struggled with heavy losses in the Ukraine war. Numerous warships are also affected. In many cases the Black Sea Fleet has been affected. But there are also exceptions. Just a few days ago, Ukraine claimed an attack in the Baltic Sea. The rocket ship “Serpukhov” is said to have been badly damaged near the town of Pillau in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
Shortly afterwards, Ukrainian military intelligence HUR announced on Telegram that the missile ship had been decommissioned due to a fire “on the territory of an enemy naval base.” It would take a long time until combat capability was restored, it was said at the time.
Ukraine apparently destroys Russian missile ship in Baltic Sea
What exactly happened in the Baltic Sea cannot currently be independently verified. What is exciting, however, is the video released by the secret service about the sabotage operation. The footage allegedly shows a fire being started in the Buyan M-class ship. The video also shows alleged blueprints for the ship, which were presumably used to plan the attack.
The extent of the damage inflicted on the “Serpukhov” is not yet clear. However, according to a military expert, the reports indicate “serious damage” to the ship. The fire inside could have “completely destroyed” communications systems and other vital equipment, Andrii Ryschenko said. Speaking to US magazine
Newsweek
, the retired Ukrainian naval captain added that although it was possible to repair the ship, it would “take a lot of time”.
Russia loses numerous warships in the Ukraine war
If the attack is confirmed, it would be another bitter loss for Russia in the Ukraine war. Above all, the incident would be embarrassing for the new naval chief Alexander Moiseyev. The admiral was only confirmed as commander-in-chief at the beginning of April. The 61-year-old, who previously headed the Russian Northern Fleet, replaced Nikolai Yevmenov, who had held the post since 2019.
Following another decree from President Vladimir Putin, Vice Admiral Sergei Pinchuk was appointed as the new commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, succeeding Viktor Sokolov. Official reasons for the reshuffles were not given. However, the losses of warships in the Ukraine war have so far been devastating for Russia. For example, the following ships were affected:
“Moscow”
:
The flagship of the Black Sea Fleet sinks in the Black Sea on April 14, 2022
“Rostov na Donu”
: Cruise missiles destroy the submarine on September 13, 2023
“Askold”
: The corvette is heavily damaged by a missile hit on November 4, 2023
“Novocherkassk”
:
The landing ship is hit and destroyed on December 26, 2023
“Sergei Kotov”
: The heavy patrol boat probably sank after being hit by a maritime drone on March 5, 2024
According to Kiev, the Russian Black Sea Fleet has lost around a third of its combat ships in the Ukraine war so far. Ukraine currently puts the number of Russian ships and submarines destroyed in the past two years at 27 (as of April 10).
(cs)