Ukraine confirms drone strikes on four Russian vessels in Crimea

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) confirmed the information about the boats being hit.

"On May 30, 2024, a special unit of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine Group 13, using Ukrainian Magura V5 strike marine drones, once again effectively attacked the ship and boat fleet of the aggressor state of Russia in the temporarily occupied Crimea," the statement says.

The intelligence officers added that the successful special operation was made possible thanks to the support of the global United24 platform.

The HUR also said that in order to neutralize the attack drones on the approach to the Vuzka Bay, the Russians in Crimea took combat aircraft into the sky 32 times, including Su-27/30/35, MiG-29, Be-12, An-26, and Ka-27/29, and Mi-8 helicopters. They also used small arms and 30-millimeter cannons.

According to preliminary data, two high-speed transport and amphibious boats KS-701 Tunets were destroyed.

Later, the intelligence clarified that the mission destroyed two enemy KS-701 Tunets boats and damaged two other vessels of the same type. 

“So, in total, Russia's losses from the attack by Ukrainian Magura V5 strike marine drones amounted to four high-speed transport and amphibious boats KS-701 Tunets, the military summarized. 

They added that the Russian forces used them for logistics and patrolling the waters near the temporarily occupied peninsula. 

A series of explosions that occurred in Kerch on the night of May 30 were reported on Telegram by local residents and representatives of the occupation authorities of Crimea.

"While repelling an enemy attack on the transport infrastructure of Kerch, two ferries - a car and a railroad - were hit by the fragments of downed missiles, and the glazing of the superstructures was damaged. There were no casualties among sailors or civilians. After the damage is assessed, the ferry service will be resumed," the so-called Minister of Transport of Crimea Nikolai Lukashenko wrote on his Telegram channel.

The explosions in Kerch were heard around 1:00 a.m. According to the Russian Telegram channel Astra, there were about 20 powerful explosions.

In addition, traffic on the Crimean Bridge was blocked for half an hour, from 1:00 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.

In the morning, Russia's Defense Ministry reported that overnight it had "stopped a number of attempts by the Kyiv regime to carry out terrorist attacks using American ATACMS tactical missiles, aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles, and unmanned boats.”

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, air defense systems allegedly shot down 8 tactical missiles over the Sea of Azov at night. Another 8 UAVs were intercepted over the Black Sea, near the coast of the Crimean peninsula.

In addition, the Russian ministry reported the destruction of two unmanned boats that were reportedly heading toward the Crimean peninsula.

Meanwhile, LIGA.net's source in the Security and Defense Forces said that the operation of the Main Intelligence Directorate had resulted in the destruction of a Russian boat of the KC-701 Tunets type.

The guerrillas also wrote about this in the Crimean Wind Telegram channel.

“A source in the Security and Defense Forces said that as a result of the operation of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate, a Russian boat of the KC-701 Tunets type was hit. It was used to guard the Kerch bridge,” the statement says.

The guerrillas added that two such boats were destroyed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces last year.

By the way, at 07:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 30, the traffic on the Crimean bridge was blocked again.

The official Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the explosions in Kerch.

• On May 29, activists of the Atesh guerrilla movement reported that they had reconnoitered Striletska Bay in the temporarily occupied Sevastopol. In particular, they found the location of the Russian Navy anti-submarine ship MPK-49 Aleksandrovets and various boats guarding the coast of Sevastopol.