Ucrania ha reclamado otro exitoso ataque contra la Flota del Mar Negro de Rusia (BSF), anunciando el 26 de marzo que el buque de desembarco Konstantin Olshansky había sido alcanzado por un misil Neptuno.

Hablando en la televisión nacional, el portavoz de la Marina Dmytro Pletenchuk dijo que aún se estaba determinando el daño a la embarcación.

En los últimos meses, Ucrania ha intensificado sus ataques a objetivos de la BSF en Crimea ocupada, logrando impactar varios barcos y obligando a las fuerzas rusas a replegarse a aguas más seguras.

In comments to LIGA.net, Pletenchuk mentioned that the assault on Konstantin Olshansky took place earlier this week on March 23, the day when two Russian Ropucha-class landing ships, Yamal and Azov, were struck.

“This ship was supposed to be used by Ukraine, therefore, a decision was made to destroy this unit with our Neptune,” Pletenchuk told national television.

The Konstantin Olshansky, originally a Ukrainian vessel, was seized by Russia during the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Over the years, the ship remained docked in Sevastopol Bay and was reportedly cannibalized for parts to service other Russian naval ships. However, facing a depletion of large landing ships, the Russian navy apparently restored the vessel to bolster their diminished fleet. Pletenchuk highlighted the significance of the strike: “It was in the bay for nine years, and the occupiers began to disassemble it for spare parts. In the 10th year of the war, the enemies realized that they were running out of large landing ships, so they restored it within a year.”

The Ukrainian Navy has been vigilant in monitoring Russian fleet activities and has actively engaged in disabling enemy capabilities. The Neptune missile strike on the Konstantin Olshansky coincided with attacks on other key vessels, including the large landing ships Azov and Yamal, and the Russian reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs on March 24. Pletenchuk provided further details on the condition of the Russian fleet, stating, “Out of 13 (large landing ships), four have been destroyed, four are being repaired, and five are in working order.”

The strategic significance of these strikes cannot be overstated as the Crimean port is one of the few locations where Kalibr missiles can be equipped onto vessels. This attack comes after a series of setbacks for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which saw its flagship, the Moskva, sunk in spring 2022.

This event comes amidst a backdrop of rising tensions and ongoing hostilities in Eastern Europe. Ukrainian officials have been stressing the need for continued support and have highlighted the advancements they have been making with their sea drones, which have been effective against Russian naval forces. The ongoing war in Ukraine has seen both sides experiencing losses and facing logistical challenges, with reports indicating that Russian forces are gradually seizing more territory in Donetsk province but suffering heavy losses in their advances.

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