Russia Confirms Damage to Its Warship in Black Sea
Russia has confirmed that one of its warships has been damaged in the black sea during an attack by Ukraine.
The strike took place in the port of Feodosiya in Russian-occupied Crimea overnight on Monday.
The ministry of defense said the large landing ship Novocherkassk was struck by Ukrainian aircraft carrying guided missiles.
Earlier, the head of the Ukrainian air force said its warplanes had destroyed the ship.
One person was killed in the attack, according to the Russian-installed head of Crimea, Sergei Aksyonov.
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He added that six buildings were damaged and that a small number of people had to be taken to temporary accommodation centers.
Footage purportedly showing a huge explosion in the port was shared by Ukrainian air force commander Lt Gen Mykola Oleshchuk.
The images have not been independently verified. However, satellite imagery from 24 December shows a ship at port in Feodosiya that appears to be the same length as the Novocherkassk – a landing ship designed to transport troops, weapons and cargo to shore.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Ukraine’s air force has denied that Russia shot down two of its Su-24 bombers about 125km (77 miles) from the occupied Ukrainian city of Mykolaiv.
It has also recently denied a claim by Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu that his troops have seized the key town of Mariinka in eastern Ukraine.
The area has been used by Ukraine as a defensive barrier since 2014, when Russian-backed fighters seized large swathes of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
