Overnight between November 9 and 10, Ukrainian forces conducted a successful operation, striking Russian ships in occupied Crimea, according to the Main Directorate of intelligence (HUR) of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.
The military intelligence agency reported that the raid impacted amphibious assault ships of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The report does not mention how many ships were hit, but a HUR’s video in the report show first-person-view footage from uncrewed naval explosive drones, hitting two naval vessels.
The HUR says those were small Serna-class landing craft, with the Russian Navy’s designation Project 11770.
“The vessels were crewed and loaded with armored vehicles, including BTR-82 [armored personnel carriers],” the intelligence agency wrote.
The HUR says this special operation was made possible with the support of the United24 fundraising platform.
Russia heavily used these types of landing craft during its occupation of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island earlier in the war to transport military vehicles and personnel. Moreover, Russia also placed Tor-M2 anti-aircraft complexes on the ships to provide air defense for its forces on the island and in the Black Sea, according to the report.
The Serna-class landing craft are highly mobile and can carry up to 45 tons of cargo and 92 armed personnel. Russia uses them for rapid deployment of naval infantry and evacuation operations. With Russia’s naval air defenses diminished after Ukrainian strikes, these landing craft with anti-aircraft capabilities likely helped protect Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
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