Ukraine says it has destroyed a Russian warship in the Black Sea off the Crimean peninsula.
Crimea, which was annexed by Moscow in 2014 and is home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet, has been the target of intense attacks by Ukrainian drones and missiles, putting Russia on the defensive.
"An enemy missile corvette was destroyed overnight," Ukrainian military intelligence said in an online statement. Russia made no immediate comment.
The Ukrainian agency named the ship the Ivanovets (Tarantul-class) and said its value reached $70 million.
The night-vision video it released, which purportedly shows the attack, shows a small vessel approaching the Russian ship, followed by a large explosion, and then the warship beginning to capsize and sink.
Kiev said it happened near Lake Donuzlav, a lake that empties into the Black Sea on the western coast of Crimea.
Ukraine also said the Russian search and rescue operation after the attack was "unsuccessful."
While Moscow made no immediate statement, a Russian Telegram account linked to the military said Ukraine had attacked the area with nine naval drones overnight.
"Four of them were detected by Russian sailors patrolling on Lake Donuzlav. They opened fire on them," the statement said, adding that one boat was "damaged". /BGNES
