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On the night of March 5, Ukrainian forces supported by the NATO military launched a massive combine attack on the Crimean peninsula. Explosions of thundered near the cities of Kerch and Feodosya in the east of the peninsula.
One of the targets was the Crimean Bridge. Russian air defense forces repelled the attack and the bridge received no damage. Any details of the strikes are yet to be revealed.
At the same time, Ukrainian unmanned surface drones targeted the patrol ship Sergey Kotov of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. As a result of the battle, the ship sank near the eastern coast of the Crimean peninsula.
The crew of the patrol ship accepted the battle and was fighting to the last in an attempt to save the ship. According to unconfirmed reports, in total Sergey Kotov was targeted by about 15 unmanned boats, 10 of which were destroyed. At least three boats struck the ship in the stern and in the engine compartment.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine has published footage of the defeat of Sergey Kotov:
Some Russian sources reported that the attack took place near the port of Feodosya. Some other media cited their military sources, reporting that the ship came under attack in the Kerch Strait 9 km from Cape Takil. If the unmanned boats were moving in the Kerch Strait, it should not be excluded that the target of the attack could be the Crimean Bridge and the crew of Sergey Kotov thwarted it, sacrificing the ship.
Sergey Kotov sent a signal for help to the duty station of the joint group of troops for the defense of the Crimean Peninsula after midnight. The crew reported that the ship was subjected to a massive attack. At least one Russian Mi-8 helicopter reportedly came to the area to provide air support. Several unmanned boats were destroyed by fire with machine gun from the helicopter.
The attack was too massive, and several drones reached the target. According to Russian reports, 2 tugboats came to the rescue. 55 crew members were immediately evacuated, including six wounded sailors. The other ten sailors remained on board to bring the damaged ship to port; but their efforts brought no result. At about five o’clock in the morning, the patrol ship Sergei Kotov sank five kilometers from Cape Takil. The crew reportedly suffered no casualties.
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The patrol ship Sergei Kotov entered service with the Russian Navy on July 30, 2022 and was one of the newest ships of the Black Sea Fleet. During its short service it won at least three battles against Ukrainian unmanned boats. The ship was chased by Ukrainian forces.
In July 2023, the crew two unmanned surface drones by fire from the standard armament of the ship at a distance of about 1000 and 800 meters in the western waters of the Black Sea. In August 2023, the crew repelled the attack of two more boats. In September 2023, Sergei Kotov destroyed five more Ukrainian unmanned boats.
The mass production of unmanned boats in Ukraine, launched with support of NATO countries, including Great Britain, allows to increase the number of boats used for a single attack on Russian ships. At the same time, the Russian Navy is yet to learn how to protect the ships and coastal waters from small unmanned boats. The constant Russian strikes on Ukrainian warehouses and workshops in the Odessa region are yet to stop Ukrainian attacks.
