The impartial Russian information channel Astra has confirmed {that a} Black Sea Fleet amphibious assault ship was sunk by Ukrainian forces within the early hours of Tuesday morning.

The airstrike hit the Ropucha-class tank touchdown ship Novocherkassk on the port of Feodosia, in Russian-occupied Crimea. The preliminary blast began a fireplace, adopted by a large secondary explosion aboard the vessel. 

Hot’ would not even start to explain it! The second of detonation of the Russian warship Novocherkassk pic.twitter.com/GCDqcy72PT

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) December 26, 2023

The Russian protection ministry confirmed the strike and asserted that the ship was broken. Satellite imagery taken in a while Tuesday appeared to point out that Novocherkassk had sunk on the pier, and impartial Russian outlet Astra has launched a photograph confirming that the vessel has settled to the underside. The high of its burned superstructure could also be seen protruding from the water. 

New satellite tv for pc imagery of the Russian warship struck by Ukraine additionally reveals a destroyed warehouse and different harm to the port. pic.twitter.com/6m2kHwU5V4

— Brady Africk (@bradyafr) December 27, 2023

Astra additionally reported that casualty numbers had been far greater than claimed by official Russian sources. According to the outlet, 77 sailors had been aboard on the time of the blast, and 33 of them are believed to be lacking. 19 others had been wounded, and one port safety guard was killed. (The casualty report couldn’t be independently confirmed.)  

“Such ships, as a rule, are not left without a crew,” Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk instructed Radio Svoboda. “And the crew is about 80 people. Given this type of ship, there could also be [others aboard]. The fact that this could not be done without victims is more like the truth.”

By Pletenchuk’s tally, seven of the Black Sea Fleet’s 13 amphibs have been disabled or destroyed by Ukrainian strikes. Only six stay for navy transport functions. These ships are used to ferry munitions across the theater for Russian floor forces, and eradicating the vessels from service is a strategy to disrupt logistics for the invasion, he stated.