Russian landing ship 'critically damaged' by Ukrainian missile strike, says military intelligence

Chris York, The Kyiv Independent news desk
·2 min read

One of the Russian landing ships struck during a recent missile strike on occupied Crimea was "critically damaged," Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) said on March 25.

In a post on Telegram, the agency said the "Yamal" suffered a "hole in the upper deck that caused it to roll to the starboard side."

In recent months, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on occupied Crimea, targeting Russian military assets in and around the Black Sea. Russia has illegally occupied the peninsula since 2014.

HUR said the attack targeted the 13th ship repair plant of the Russian Black Sea fleet in occupied Sevastopol, where the boat was undergoing repairs.

"The occupiers continuously pump out water from the affected ship," HUR said, adding: "Other details about the losses of the aggressor as a result of the missile attack of the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine against the military facilities of terrorist Russia are being clarified."

Ukraine struck two Russian Ropucha-class landing ships, "Yamal" and "Azov," in occupied Crimea in the late hours of March 23, Ukraine's Armed Forces confirmed on March 24.

Read also: These are the most important Russian ships destroyed by Ukraine

"Yamal," with 98 crew members, and "Azov," with 87 crew members, belong to the 197th Landing Ships Brigade and are actively used in the fleet’s exercises and training, according to the Black Sea Fleet’s website.

The attack also hit some Black Sea Fleet infrastructure in Crimea and a Russian military communication center, the Ukrainian military said.

As Ukraine's campaign against Russia's navy continues, Russia is redeploying its Black Sea Fleet from occupied Crimea to the relative safety of Novorossiysk, HUR reported on March 21

The Strategic Communications Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (StratCom) recently reported that as of early February 2024, 33% of the fleet’s warships had been disabled, including 24 ships and one submarine.

Russia has taken a number of steps to address the continuing threat, including replacing the commander of the Russian Navy earlier this month.

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