Kiev says its drones damaged a Russian warship

Ukraine says its fears have hit a large Russian port and damaged a warship in an attack highlighting Kiev's growing capabilities as the Black Sea becomes an increasingly important battlefield in war.

The Ukrainian Security Service and navy carried out the attack that damaged the Russian naval ship “Olenegorsky Gornyak”, according to a security service official. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attack made the ship incapable of carrying out combat missions.

The attack on Novorossysk marks the first time a Russian trade port has been targeted in the nearly 18-month conflict. At this Black Sea port lies a maritime base, a shipyard and an oil terminal, and it plays a key role for exports.

The port lies about 110km east of the Crimea, where Russia's Defence Ministry said it prevented another overnight attack.

Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after the latest attack said that The <x0droids are changing the course of war... and destroying the value of the Russian fleet”.

Russia's navy has controlled the seas so far. Its ships have regularly launched missiles at major ports and cities across Ukraine, and they have blocked mainly the country's coast, as well as mined the Black Sea, making the passage through it dangerous. Mr. Podolyak's statement and other attacks on the sea and on the Kerci Bridge linking Crimea and Russia may indicate Ukraine is trying to change that dynamic.

With the latest attack, “Kiev indicated that it could attack any Black Sea Fleet ship, regardless of the” distance, says Ukrainian military analyst Roman Swittan.

The end of the grain deal, under which ships carrying food from Ukrainian ports were promised safe passage, “resolved the hands of Kiev”, he said, predicting that the frequency of attacks on Russian ships would only increase.

While Friday's attack served as an important moral driver for Ukraine, the challenge of Russia's Black Sea naval power will be difficult for Ukraine.

The Russian Black Sea fleet has nearly 50 warships and seven submarines along with a large number of supporting ships. Kiev said it lost more than 80% of its maritime capabilities following the illegal annexation of Crime by Moscow.

Despite Russia's supremacy, Ukraine's missiles last year sank the Russian fleet's main ship Moscow, and also destroyed the Saratov aircraft in the conquered port of Berdyansk. It is reported that others have also been damaged.

The Russian Defence Ministry said the navy contained Friday's attack, saying its ships destroyed two Ukrainian fears. The images published in Russian social networking profiles appear to indicate a fire - opening ship and a burning object after the explosion.

But other images that appeared in the message app channels reportedly showed the Olenegorsky Gornyak ship swimming from one side and several Russian military bloggers confirmed it was damaged. Ukrainian media also broadcast film footage they said had been filmed by a camera in a fear showing it approaching the Russian ship.

The Associated Press was unable to verify videos.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the attack during a conference with journalists that was made over the phone.

A few minutes after confirming the attack on the Black Sea port Friday morning, Russia's Defence Ministry said it had also fired another attack from Ukraine to Crime. The ministry said air defence systems dropped 10 fears and blocked three others.

Videos distributed in Russian social media channels that are said to be from the area of the city of Feodosia seemed to indicate Russian air defense systems in use, as well as intense explosions. / REL