Watch: Putin's Newest $65 Million Patrol Ship Destroyed By Ukrainian Drones

Ukraine's military confirmed on Tuesday that it destroyed the Russian Black Sea Fleet's newest patrol ship using naval drones, Newsweek reported. The news was shared by the Main Directorate of Intelligence of The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine (HUR). 

Ukraine's military intelligence identified the Russian ship as the Sergey Kotov worth about USD 65 million. The Ministry of Defence said, ''Another Russian ship was upgraded to a submarine. Tonight, the special unit of the @DI_Ukraine "Group 13" attacked the patrol ship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, "Sergei Kotov," worth $65 million. As a result of the attack by Magura V5 naval drones, the Russian ship project 22160, "Sergei Kotov," suffered damage to the stern, right, and left sides. Nice start to the day! Great job, warriors.''

Here's the tweet:

+1 russian ship was upgraded to a submarine.

Tonight, the special unit of the @DI_Ukraine "Group 13" attacked the patrol ship of the russian Black Sea Fleet, "Sergei Kotov," worth $65 million.

As a result of the attack by Magura V5 naval drones, the russian ship of project… pic.twitter.com/smZ1H1Ekp6

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) March 5, 2024

HUR's special unit Group 13 and Ukraine's Naval Forces took part in the operation with support from the Ministry of Digital Transformation, HUR said in a statement on Telegram. 

A video posted later on social media platforms claims to show "how the Sergei Kotov was sunk."

Watch the video here:

Ukrainian Defense Intelligence shared a video of the Russian Sergey Kotov patrol ship being destroyed.

Glory to Ukrainian Heroes! https://t.co/3KPMpgxXD8 pic.twitter.com/4LGiEYQaEY

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) March 5, 2024

Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, said on Telegram that ''The Russian Black Sea Fleet is a symbol of occupation. It cannot be in the Ukrainian Crimea,'' in an apparent reference to the attack.

Train traffic was temporarily stopped on the bridge linking the Crimean peninsula to the Russian mainland, according to the Telegram channel of a Russia-installed official in Crimea.

Last month, the Ukrainian military said it had destroyed a Russian landing warship near Crimea in an operation with naval drones that breached the vessel's port side and caused it to sink, Reuters reported. 

Tuesday is day 741 of Russia's war on Ukraine.