Another Blow To Russian Navy: Ukraine Strikes Troop Carrier Ship With A Suicide USV, Says Report

In yet another attack on Russian naval infrastructure, Ukraine appears to have struck a Russian landing ship tank (LST), near the port of Novorossiysk in Krasnodar.

The ship was reportedly attacked by the Ukrainians, according to the news website Naval News, using a suicide unmanned surface vehicle (USV).

A Twitter user named Benjamin Pittet, with the handle COUPSURE, posted a video purportedly showing footage of the suicide USVs approaching the Russian LST.

As a result of the alleged suicide USV attack, the Russian LST was observed listing 40-50 degrees to the port side, however, no smoke was observed, indicating a lack of explosion.

The targeted Russian LST has been identified as the Ropucha I class or Project-775 class landing ship 'Olenegorskiy Gornyak' (SDK-911).

The Russian Defence Ministry, on the other hand, has denied this stating that they thwarted the Ukrainian USV attacks.

"Tonight, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, with the use of two unmanned sea boats, attempted an attack on the Novorossiysk naval base of the Russian Armed Forces," the Russian Defence Ministry statement said adding that "Russian ships destroyed the naval drones."

Landing ship tanks are vessels used to unload/load troops, tanks, or vehicles directly onto a beach or shore with no dock or pier. They can also carry supplies, acting as replenishment ships.

According to reports, these ships can carry cargo of more than 450 tonnes.

The Ukrainians have been using these suicide unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and underwater vessels (AUVs) to attack multiple Russian naval ships.

Just a month ago, Ukrainians used an autonomous unmanned vehicle rumoured to be the British REMUS 600 AUVs to attack the Kerch Bridge connecting Crimea to the Russian mainland.

Last year as well, the Ukrainians conducted an attack using suicide USVs to hit an Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate and a mine countermeasures ship.