Ukrainian Navy strikes back: Russian seized ship hit by Neptune missile
The Ukrainian Navy reported hitting the large amphibious vessel Kostiantyn Olszański, which was illegally seized by the Russian Black Sea Fleet in 2014. The unit suffered damage from a Neptune missile, according to Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian navy.
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"The decision to target a specific unit with our Neptune missile system was made. At the moment, the extent of the damage caused by this strike is being evaluated. One thing is for sure - the target was successfully hit and is no longer capable of continuing in combat," Pletenchuk stated during an interview on Ukrainian television on Tuesday.
The Kostiantyn Olszański, constructed at the Northern Shipyard in Gdańsk during the era of the Polish People’s Republic, fell into Russian hands in March 2014. That period marked the beginning of the Crimea occupation. At that time, the vessel was moored in Lake Donuzlav, on the western side of the Crimean Peninsula. It was effectively trapped there as the Russians had blocked the narrow strait connecting the lake to the Black Sea by sinking two old ships in it.
What did the Russian attack look like?
Russian soldiers launched an assault on the Ukrainian vessel from boats, hurling grenades and opening fire. Around 20 sailors were onboard the Olszański at the time. Along with the captain, they sought refuge inside the vessel from the attackers. The attacking force numbered about 200.
Pletenchuk reports that over the last nine years, the Olszański had been moored in Sevastopol Bay, where it was gradually stripped for parts. "In the tenth year of the war, the Russians realized they were beginning to deplete their stock of large amphibious vessels. Consequently, they decided to restore the Olszański for use against Ukrainian forces. This led us to make the decision to attack it with the Neptune missile," the Ukrainian navy spokesperson explained.
