Ukraine says large Russian landing ship destroyed in strike

The Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) General Staff says that Ukrainian intelligence units have destroyed the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s large landing ship Caesar Kunikov. “At the moment of the strike, it was located in Ukrainian waters near Alupka,” the AFU General Staff said. Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate has published a video purportedly showing the destruction of the ship by naval drones.

Residents of Yalta, Alupka, and other populated areas of Russian-annexed Crimea heard explosions during the night, reported the Telegram channel Crimean Wind. The channel published a video reportedly showing an explosion, presumably on the Russian landing ship. After the explosions, residents noticed helicopters flying over the sea.

Russia’s Defense Ministry reported nine Ukrainian drones intercepted on Wednesday: two over Russia’s Belgorod region, one over Russia’s Voronezh region, and six over the Black Sea.