Ukraine sinks five Russian vessels transporting reconnaissance and sabotage units

The Ukrainian military claimed to have destroyed at least five Russian light craft carrying reconnaissance and sabotage teams over the course of 24 hours, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Tuesday. The motor boats were located in the island chains at the delta of the Dnieper river as it flows into the Black Sea.

Naval drills staged by the Baltic Fleet forces of the Russian Navy, part of the exercise Zapad-2021 opened by Russia and Belarus, resulted in Russian warships departing from a port in the Baltic Sea town of Baltiysk in the Kaliningrad Region on September 9, 2021. ( photo credit: REUTERS )

In November, Russian forces relocated to the east bank of the strategic river, which cuts through Ukraine and several major cities.

According to Ukrinform, Russia has increased the operations of its sabotage and reconnaissance teams in the area of the islands.

Russian ships on Ukrainian shores

On January 10, a Russian warship was destroyed in the same region by Ukrainian artillery. The exact class of the vessel at the time of sinking was unclear, but an infrared photo released with the announcement appeared to show a burning patrol boat.

In the wake of reports of the sinking of the five motor boats, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry did not update its record of Russian ships destroyed by its forces, potentially suggesting that they were either too insignificant to record or unverified.

On February 12, 2022, a video was released showing a warship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet departing from a port in Sevastopol, Crimea, during naval drills. ( photo credit: REUTERS )

Since the war began on February 23, the Ukrainian military has destroyed a total of 18 Russian warships and vessels. On Tuesday, the Ukrainian navy reported that 12 Russian ships were stationed in the Black Sea and ready for combat operations, with three of them equipped with Kalibr sea-to-land missiles, which the Black Sea Fleet has occasionally employed to strike Ukrainian positions.

Despite losing much of its conventional navy during the Russian takeover of Sevastopol in 2014, Ukraine has challenged Russian attempts to gain complete naval dominance in the Black Sea by utilizing anti-ship missiles and naval drones. The Russian fleet has been cautious about approaching the Ukrainian shore, leading to a decrease in the presence of its missile boats at times in recent months.