Kyiv claimed on December 26 that it had destroyed the Novocherkassk, a Russian naval landing ship, in what appears to be one of the most significant strikes against the Black Sea Fleet in months.
Ukraine Says It Destroyed Russian Naval Ship In Occupied Crimea
Smoke and flames fill the early morning sky above the port of Feodosia on the eastern coast of the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula, following a missile attack that hit a Russian landing ship and claimed at least one life on December 26.
Russia's Defense Ministry acknowledged that the Novocherkassk, a naval ship docked there, was damaged.
Unverified photos showed fireballs climbing into the night sky on December 26.
Ukraine’s military said in a post to Telegram that tactical aviation units fired cruise missiles at the port on the eastern side of the Black Sea peninsula, around 3:30 a.m. local time, hitting the ship.
The Novocherkassk pictured in May 2021 as it sailed the Bosphorus.
The Russian Defense Ministry, cited by the Interfax news agency, said Ukraine had used air-launched missiles to attack the Crimean port of Feodosia.
A picture of the Novocherkassk from May 20 while it was undergoing repairs at the shipyard in Russian occupied-Crimea.
The commander of Ukraine’s air force, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, said in a post to Telegram that “Russia’s naval fleet is getting smaller,” and suggested Ukrainian jets were involved, but gave no other details.
An RFE/RL correspondent reports that the explosion was so strong it shattered windows and woke up residents in different parts of the city.
Ukrainian Air Force Spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said he thought it would be hard for the Novocherkassk -- which can carry tanks and armored vehicles and be used to land troops ashore -- to return to service.
The hotel Astoria following the explosion with several windows and doors that appear to have been blown open.
"We can see how powerful the explosion was, what the detonation was like. After that, it’s very hard for a ship to survive, because this was not a rocket, this is the detonation of munitions," Ihnat told RFE/RL.
If confirmed, this would be the latest successful attack on a Russian Black Sea Fleet ship while it was in port. The Novocherkassk had previously been damaged during an attack on March 24 at the port of Berdyansk (pictured) when the landing ship Saratov was destroyed and sunk.