Russia Says Minesweeper Hit in 'Massive' Attack on Black Sea Fleet

The Russian minesweeper Ivan Golubets was damaged on Saturday morning during a "massive attack" involving drones on Sevastopol, a city in Crimea that hosts Russia's Black Sea Fleet, according to Russian officials.

The Russian Defense Ministry branded the incident a "terrorist attack" and said nine Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles, and seven "maritime drones," conducted the operation.

In a statement posted on its official Telegram channel the Ministry said: "Today at 4.20 a.m., the Kyiv regime carried out a terrorist attack on the ships of the Black Sea Fleet and civilian ships that were on the outer and inner roadsteads of the Sevastopol base.

"Nine unmanned aerial vehicles and seven autonomous maritime drones were involved in the attack.

"Minor damage was received by the sea minesweeper Ivan Golubets, as well as the bonnet barrier in Yuzhnaya Bay."

The Russian ministry claimed all drones involved in the attack were destroyed by its forces.

It stated: "As a result of the operational measures taken by the forces of the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, all air targets were destroyed.

"In the course of repulsing a terrorist attack on the outer roadstead of Sevastopol, four marine unmanned vehicles were destroyed using naval weapons and naval aviation of the Black Sea Fleet, and three more were destroyed on the inner roadstead."

The ministry said the attack was carried out by "Ukraine's "73rd Special Center for Maritime Operations," operating "under the guidance of British specialists located in the city of Ochakiv."

No evidence was provided to support the incendiary claim that a NATO power was involved in the incident.

In a statement provided to Newsweek a spokesperson from the British Ministry of Defence said: "To detract from their disastrous handling of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defence is resorting to pedalling false claims of an epic scale.

"This latest invented story, says more about the arguments going on inside the Russian Government than it does about the West."

Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhaev said the city had been targeted in a "massive attack" by "UAVs and remote-controlled surface vehicles."

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, have been used prominently by both Russian and Ukrainian forces in their conflict.

Speaking to Russian state-controlled news agency Tass, Razvozhaev said the incident was the "most massive attack" since Putin's forces invaded Ukraine in February.

He said the attack was a failure, as "nothing has been hit in the city," though this was later contradicted by the Russian Defense Ministry.

Posting on Telegram, Razvozhaev said: "Today, starting at 04:30am for several hours, various air defense systems in Sevastopol repelled drone attacks.

"All UAVs have been shot down. Nothing has been hit in the city. We remain calm. The situation is under control."

Unconfirmed video posted on social media appears to show an explosion in Sevastopol harbor on Friday night, with smoke visible in photos reportedly taken this morning from the scene. Newsweek has been unable to independently verify the images or video.

Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor to the Ukrainian minister of internal affairs, reported Russian warships were "blown up" in the attack, though Newsweek has not been able to confirm the claim that multiple vessels were damaged.

He tweeted a video purportedly of one of the explosions, adding: "Explosions in Sevastopol harbor last night.

"According to some sources, several Russian warships of the Black Sea Fleet were blown up—including a frigate and a landing ship."

Russian news agency Tass reports boats were being blocked from entering the harbor on Saturday morning.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet has participated extensively in Russia's assault on Ukraine, launching cruise missiles at targets across the country.

In April the cruiser Moskva, flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, sank with an unknown number of casualties. Ukraine said it hit the vessel with two Neptune anti-ship missiles, a report confirmed by U.S. officials, though Moscow insists the sinking was the result of an accidental explosion triggered by a fire.

Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine and annexed it in 2014.

On October 8, the bridge built after the annexation to link Crimea with mainland Russia was severely damaged by a huge explosion. Russian officials claimed the attack was carried out by Ukrainian military intelligence, using a truck bomb, though Kyiv has not claimed responsibility.

Days after the attack Russian missile and drone attacks were reported in 14 cities across Ukraine, including Kyiv, with the Ukrainian government accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting civilians.

Newsweek has contacted the Russian and Ukrainian ministries of defense for comment.

Update 10/29/22 8:36 a.m. ET: This article was updated with later information.