WIPED OUT
Dramatic moment Russian spy ship blows up ‘kamikaze’ sea drone with seconds to spare in latest daring Ukraine blitz
THIS is the dramatic moment a Russian spy ship blew up a sea drone with just seconds to spare, as Ukraine continues its blitz on the invading forces.
The reconnaissance vessel Ivan Khurs was reportedly in the southern Black Sea when it was attacked by three marine drones.
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Footage shows one of the high-speed unmanned boats destroyed by incessant fire from the Ivan Khurs as it approached the spy ship.
Initial volleys from the Russian warship missed the swivelling drone - but then it suffered a direct hit.
It exploded in a huge fireball, as seen in footage from the Zvezda TV channel, owned by the Russian defence ministry.
Reports of such an incident first surfaced earlier today on the pro-war Rybar telegram channel.
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The spy vessel “repelled” the alleged attack, said reports.
The spy ship, launched in 2017, was in international waters some 40 nautical miles north of the Bosphorus Strait, according to reports.
“There is reason to believe that the drones were launched from a commercial civilian vessel,” said the channel.
One Telegram channel later alleged the ship had been attacked from a grain carrying vessel - but this was disputed by Russian sources.
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"Today at 5.30am (2.30am GMT) the armed forces of Ukraine made an unsuccessful attempt to attack the Ivan Khurs ship of the Black Sea Fleet with three unmanned speedboats," the Russian defence ministry said in a statement.
It added that the Russian vessel had been tasked with guarding pipeline infrastructure in Turkish economic waters.
The statement said that all three enemy boats have been destroyed and that the attack took place some 87 miles northeast of the Bosphorus.
This is believed to be the furthest away from Ukraine a marine drone strike has occurred.
"The Ivan Khurs of the Black Sea Fleet continues to fulfil its mission," the defence ministry added.
Turkey did not immediately respond to Russia's claims.
Russian warships and aircraft have been involved in several incidents in the Black Sea since Moscow launched its large-scale offensive in Ukraine in February, 2022.
Similar drone boats have been used in attacks in Crimea, such as the one in October last year when at least two Russian vessels were damaged in an early morning strike in Sevastopol.
Vladimir Putin’s new flagship - a prized Project 11356R frigate named the Admiral Makarov - is believed to have been damaged in the attack.
In April 2022, Ukraine sank what was then the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva, with missile strikes in one of Putin’s biggest humiliations of the 15-month war.
In March this year, a US military drone crashed after an incident involving a Russian jet over the Black Sea.
The confrontation ratcheted up tensions between Moscow and Washington and spurred a rare phone call between senior US and Russian military officials.
USV drones are propelled by a single motor with a top speed of 46mph - they can travel over 60miles with a 145lbs (65kg) payload.
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Explosive detonators, believed to be attached to the front of the 12ft canoe-sized vessel, trigger an explosion of what is thought to be an onboard warhead.
Throughout the war, Ukrainian fighters have been using relatively cheap drones to cause havoc with Russia.
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