Ukraine war: Russia’s big claim, Ukraine’s spy ship shot down near the Black Sea

The Russian Defense Ministry said early Tuesday that a Russian warplane destroyed a Ukrainian reconnaissance ship in an area of ​​the Black Sea where Russian gas extraction facilities are located. The ministry said in a brief statement that the Ukrainian ship was destroyed by a Su-30 aircraft of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

There was no immediate comment from Ukraine, which rarely publicly comments on its operations inside Russia or on Russian-controlled territory, but Moscow has criticized attacks on Russian interests using unmanned naval drones. accused of speeding. Russian-backed authorities in Crimea, which Russia annexed and annexed from Ukraine in 2014, said in June last year that Ukrainian forces had destroyed drilling platforms in the Black Sea owned by oil and gas company Chernomorneftegaz. was attacked.

At least three people were injured in one incident and work on three drilling platforms was suspended, he said at the time. Russia seized Chernomornaftegaz from Ukraine’s national gas operator Naftogaz as part of a 2014 merger with Moscow. The company is subject to US and EU sanctions. The rigs are located on Ukraine’s southern Black Sea coast, 71 km (44 mi) from the port of Odessa, which is under the control of Ukrainian forces.