Ukrainian navy strikes seized Russian ship with Neptune missile
27 March 2024 08:47
The Ukrainian navy reported a hit on the large landing ship Kostiantyn Olszański, which was illegally seized by Russia in 2014. The vessel was damaged by a Neptun missile, as stated by the Ukrainian army.
The decision to target this specific unit with our Neptune missile system was made. Currently, we are analyzing the damages caused by this attack. One thing is certain - the target was hit, and, regardless of the circumstances, it is no longer capable of continuing in combat - Dmytro Pletenchuk stated during a Tuesday interview on Ukrainian television.
Kostiantyn Olszański was built in Poland at the Gdańsk shipyard. The Russians took it over in March 2014, following the start of the Crimean occupation. At that time, the ship was anchored in Lake Donuzlav, located west of the Crimean Peninsula. It could not leave its waters because the Russians blocked the narrow strait leading from the lake to the Black Sea by sinking two old ships in it.
Putin's army attacked the Ukrainian ship with boats, throwing grenades at it and opening fire. At the time of the attack, there were about 20 sailors on board the Olszański. The captain and his crew took shelter inside the vessel. The opposing forces numbered about 200 people.
Attack on other Russian ships
For 9 years, the ship was moored in Sevastopol Bay. There, it was dismantled for parts; however, a decision was made to rebuild it. "The Russians realized in the 10th year of the war that they were running out of large ships, so they decided to utilize it. This prompted us to use Neptune," said the spokesman for the Ukrainian navy.
According to Dmytro Pletenchuk, the Ukrainian army severely damaged other Russian ships, including the Azov, Yamal, and Ivan Khurs. The spokesman said the attackers would not be able to carry out combat missions with these ships.
Neptune missiles are weapons developed and produced by the Ukroboronprom concern. They were delivered to the Armed Forces in 2020. Production began 6 years earlier, following the annexation of Crimea.
