The message from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine states that, together with the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the destruction of the large landing ship "Tsezar Kunikov", which was in the territorial waters of Ukraine near Alupka in the Black Sea, was carried out.
It was previously reported that on the morning of February 14, 2024, explosions were heard from the sea in occupied Crimea, in particular in Yalta, Miskhor, Alupka, and Simeiz. The Crimean Wind Telegram channel reported this with reference to local residents.
Russian landing ship was reportedly attacked near the Miskhor resort , prompting the dispatch of rescue ships and Mi-8 and Ka-27 helicopters.
Recall that earlier the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the interception of six drones over the Black Sea, but did not report a strike on the ship.
This is not the first time that Russian ships have been destroyed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces . In September 2022, the ship “Novocherkassk” was destroyed in a strike on the port of Feodosia in occupied Crimea. As a result, the UK Defense Secretary stated that 20% of the Russian Black Sea Fleet had been destroyed in the past four months, which calls into question Russia’s dominance in the Black Sea.
Dmytro Pletenchuk, spokesman for the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, commented on the destruction of the Russian large landing ship "Tsezar Kunikov" on Radio Liberty (the "Liberty.Morning" project), which was previously reported to the General Staff of Ukraine.
"As the President of the Russian Federation once said, 'it drowned' (this refers to Putin's words about the Kursk submarine, which sank with 118 crew members in 2000 in the Barents Sea - ed.) . In principle, we can use his words to comment on the situation that happened with the large Russian landing ship Caesar Kunikov. Colleagues from the Main Intelligence Directorate once again worked on another unnecessary object in the Black Sea," Pletenchuk said.
According to him, after the destruction of the "Caesar Kunikov" in the Black Sea, only five units remain "in service" out of the 13 ships of the Black Sea Fleet.
Pletenchuk also commented on the destruction of the ship on the day of the death of Soviet officer Caesar Kunikov, in whose honor the ship was named.
“Maybe it's bad luck, not every Caesar manages to die twice in one day,” said Pletenchuk.
At the same time, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the interception of six drones over the Black Sea. The Russian agency did not announce a strike on a ship.
