A Russian ship patrolling the Turk Stream and Blue Stream gas pipelines in the Black Sea averted a Ukrainian drone attack during the weekend, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
On Sunday night, six unmanned naval drones are reported to have attacked the Russian ship Priazovye, but according to Russia, all drones were destroyed.
“There were no casualties. The ship received no damage”, according to a statement.
According to the ministry, a US RQ-4B Global Hawk reconnaissance drone was also in the central parts of the Black Sea at the time of the failed attack.
Footage of the surface drone attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet ship "Priazovie" released by the Russian MoD.
All unmanned boats were destroyed by fire from the ship, 300 km SE from Sevastopol.There were no casualties. The ship received no damage. pic.twitter.com/QxM3bHzMlG
— Trollstoy (@Trollstoy88) June 11, 2023
A few weeks ago, the Russian reconnaissance ship Ivan Churs off the Bosphorus was subjected to a similar attack by unmanned Ukrainian naval drones. Again, however, Russia managed to destroy the drones, according to the Russian Defense Forces.
This weekend’s attack on Priazovye comes during what has been described in the West as an initially successful Ukrainian counteroffensive, which, according to Russia, has so far mainly caused Ukraine further heavy losses.
The Turk Stream and Blue Stream pipelines are used to deliver Russian gas to Turkey and are under constant surveillance – especially since the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines were blown up last September in an attack.
The identity of the perpetrators of the Nord Stream attack has not been established, but award-winning journalist Seymour Hersh has published testimony suggesting that the US, in cooperation with Norway, carried out the attack, taking the opportunity to plant the explosive during a NATO exercise.
