Ukraine’s ‘largest’ naval ship sunk in Russian drone attack; 1 killed, several missing | Watch

In a massive setback to Ukraine, its ‘largest’ naval ship was hit and sunk by a drone strike by Russia on Thursday. Simferopol, a reconnaissance ship of the Ukrainian Navy, was hit by a Russian naval drone in the Danube River delta near the Odesa region. 

The strike, the Ukrainian Navy said, left one sailor dead, while several others are missing, and a search operation is underway to locate them. “Efforts to address the aftermath of the attack are ongoing. The majority of the crew are safe, and the search for several missing sailors continues,” Ukrainian Navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk told the Kyiv Independent.

First successful naval drone strike by Russia

This is Russia’s first naval drone strike on a Ukrainian vessel. As per reports, the strike was carried out by Russia using a remotely operated boat. Ukraine has targeted multiple Russian naval ships in the past, but has rarely suffered any naval losses in the war that broke out in February 2022. 

However, Russia is now focusing on drone attacks. On Thursday, it launched a drone and missile attack on Kyiv, killing at least 19 people and injuring around 48. The attack, Ukrainian authorities said, left at least four children dead. 

Russian authorities, meanwhile, claimed it has also shot down 102 Ukrainian drones on Thursday. 

‘Putin killed our children’

On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy slammed Vladimir Putin, saying the Russian leader is killing children. He said the Russians launched nearly 600 drones and 31 missiles, including ballistic, on Kyiv in the entire day. 

“This strike clearly shows that Russia’s goals have not changed. They want war, striking not only our people and cities but everyone in the world who seeks peace,” Zelenskyy said, “It is a strike against Ukraine, against Europe, also against President Trump, and against other global actors.”