"Sergey Kotov"/Illustrative photo
On the night of March 5, Ukrainian forces successfully destroyed the Russian patrol ship Sergei Kotov in the Black Sea. The operation was executed by a specialized unit of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, known as Group 13, utilizing Magura V5 maritime drones, as reported by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine. The vessel, launched in 2022 and part of the newest patrol ship series in the Black Sea Fleet, is confirmed to have sunk. It is estimated that more than 80 people may have been on board.
Dmytro Pletenchuk, the spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy, conveyed this information on Hromadske Radio, highlighting that this is the second ship in the series targeted by Ukrainian forces. He provided further details, stating:
«This is a fairly large ship, with a crew of about 80 people, and very often there are other specialists present at such sailings».
Pletenchuk mentioned that a search and rescue operation has been conducted, with some sailors successfully rescued. However, due to the water temperature and night conditions, a significant number of casualties is anticipated, especially considering the multiple hits the ship sustained.
Pletenchuk also noted the precarious status of the ship series, indicating that only two out of the initial four vessels, including Sergei Kotov, are still afloat in the Black Sea Fleet:
«The ship had previously sustained damage and undergone repairs. Out of the original four vessels in this series, only two are now operational in the Black Sea Fleet. Earlier, a similar ship, Pavel Derzhavin, was damaged off the coast of Crimea due to remote mining by the Navy».