Ukraine has struck the Russian Navy again: two boats have been hit near the Kerch Bridge
30 April 09:59
On the night of April 29–30, the Ukrainian Navy launched an attack on Russian naval vessels in the Kerch Strait area. This was reported by the Ukrainian Navy, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
According to the Navy, two Russian boats used to guard the Kerch Bridge were hit.
The Navy noted that as a result of the strike, the Russian side suffered irreparable and medical losses. The Ukrainian military also released a video of the attack.
Which boats were hit by the Ukrainian Navy
According to the Ukrainian Navy, two units of the Russian naval fleet were hit:
| Boat | Ownership / Purpose |
|---|---|
| “Sobol” | Russian FSB patrol boat |
| “Gracheonok” | anti-sabotage boat used to guard critical facilities and combat saboteurs |
The Navy emphasized that these boats are key assets of the Coast Guard of the FSB Border Service and the Russian Navy.
They were used to guard the Kerch Bridge and monitor the waters in the strait area.
Where exactly did the strike occur?
The strike was carried out in the Kerch Strait area—a strategic waterway between occupied Crimea and Russian territory. It is there that the Russians maintain heightened security measures due to the importance of the Kerch Bridge for the occupiers’ military logistics.
The targets were likely struck using a maritime surface drone. At the same time, the Navy’s statement emphasizes the outcome of the operation: the destruction of two boats and the reduction of Russia’s capabilities in the Black Sea.
What the Ukrainian Navy is saying
The Navy called the strike yet another example of the Ukrainian military’s effective operations in maritime waters.
“This is yet another example of the effective work of the Ukrainian Navy and the consistent reduction of the enemy’s capabilities in the Black Sea,” the Ukrainian Navy stated.
According to the Ukrainian military, the attack resulted in enemy casualties as well as damage to their ships and boats.
Why this matters
The Kerch Bridge remains one of Russia’s key logistical assets for supplying its occupation forces in Crimea and southern Ukraine. That is why Russia is deploying additional coast guard forces, anti-sabotage boats, and other means to protect it.
The destruction of the boats guarding this facility has several important consequences:
- it weakens the security of the Kerch Bridge;
- it reduces Russia’s ability to control the strait’s waters;
- it complicates the Russians’ counter-sabotage defense;
- it demonstrates that Ukrainian forces continue to operate in the Black Sea and near occupied Crimea.
Ukraine continues to put pressure on the Russian Navy
Strikes against Russian ships and boats have become one of the key components of Ukraine’s strategy in the Black Sea.
Since the start of the full-scale war, Ukraine has repeatedly struck ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, forcing Russia to withdraw part of its fleet from Crimea.
The latest strikes on the “Sobol” and “Grachonok” demonstrate that the Ukrainian Navy continues to systematically reduce Russia’s capabilities at sea and near the occupiers’ strategic facilities.
