A Russian intelligence ship, the Vishnya-class intelligence ship “Priazovye”, was attacked around 300 kilometers (186 miles) southeast of Sevastopol, Russian-held Crimea, in the Black Sea by a swarm of maritime drones.
“Today, at about 01:30 Moscow time, the armed forces of Ukraine made an unsuccessful attempt to attack the Black Sea Fleet’s ship Priazovye,” the Russian Ministry of Defense announced on its Telegram channel.
According to the Ministry, the ship was conducting “the tasks of monitoring the situation and ensuring security along the routes of the Turkish Stream and Blue Stream gas pipelines in the south eastern part of the Black Sea” when the swarm of reportedly 6 Ukrainian seaborne ‘kamikaze’ drones.
“During the repulse of the attack, all boats were destroyed by fire from the standard weapons of the Russian ship,” the Ministry reported, adding that “there were no casualties. The ship received no damage.” According the the Black Sea Fleet, the Priazovye is armed with 2 30mm AK-306 close-in weapon systems and 2 9K38 Igla SAM system launchers. The Fleet also says the ship is “designed for SIGINT and COMINT electronic intelligence via an extensive array of sensors. The data could be transmitted to shore via satellite link antennas.”
The Ministry also claimed that a United States Air Force RQ-4B “Global Hawk” was observing the ship and its activities and conducting “reconnaissance in the airspace of the central part of the Black Sea.”
This is the second such even in recent weeks, following the attack by maritime drones on the Russian intelligence ship “Ivan Khurs” in the Black Sea, approximately 140 kilometers (87 miles) northeast of the Istanbul Strait on May 24. The Ivan Khurs also reportedly suffered no officially announced damage and no casualties, though some online have questioned this due to footage released from the drones perspective showing a possible impact.
Ukraine has not officially claimed responsibility, but the drones in use during these attacks are similar in appearance to other drones seen during confirmed Ukrainian attacks on other targets in the Black Sea and the Crimean coast.
