Ukraine destroys Russian military patrol boat in Black Sea near annexed Crimea; WATCH viral video

Ukraine on Tuesday claimed its forces have destroyed a Russian military patrol boat on the Black Sea near the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia 10 years ago.

Ukrainian military intelligence reported on Tuesday that Ukrainian sea drones had damaged a Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol ship near occupied Crimea. The attack, carried out by the intelligence agency's special unit Group 13, targeted the Russian Black Sea Fleet patrol ship Sergey Kotov near the Kerch Strait.

"As a result of a strike by Magura V5 maritime drones, the Russian ship Project 22160 Sergey Kotov sustained damage to the stern, starboard and port sides," it said. The message added that the ship was worth about $65 million.

Andriy Yermak, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, said on Telegram on Tuesday that "The Russian Black Sea Fleet is a symbol of occupation. It cannot be in the Ukrainian Crimea," in an apparent reference to the attack.

According to the Telegram channel of a Russia-appointed official in Crimea, train traffic on the bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula to the Russian mainland was temporarily halted.

Highway traffic was suspended for several hours before resuming just before 0700 GMT, as reported by the Telegram channel of the Russian-installed administration overseeing the bridge.

Last month, Ukrainian military forces reported the destruction of a Russian landing warship near Crimea. The operation involved naval drones that breached the vessel's port side, leading to its sinking.