Pride of Russian fleet: What's known about Ivanovets boat sunk by Ukraine's intelligence drones
Information about the sunken missile boat Ivanovets (Photo: Russian media)
On the night of February 1, near Crimea, the Russian missile boat Ivanovets sank in the Black Sea. The boat sank as a result of an attack by naval drones from the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
RBC-Ukraine reports on the details of the attack and the sunken missile boat Ivanovets.
Statements from the Defense Intelligence and the Naval Forces of Ukraine, as well as information from Russian media, were used in preparing the material.
Attack on the boat
This morning, the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported the destruction of the Project 1241.1 missile boat Ivanovets, which was patrolling the Black Sea near Lake Donuzlav, close to the occupied Crimea.
The attack on the Russian boat was successfully carried out by the special forces unit Group 13. The Defense Intelligence also released a video documenting the attack by an unknown number of naval drones on the Ivanovets and their direct hits on the boat. As a result, the boat sank, as confirmed by the camera on one of the naval drones.
According to the Ukrainian Navy, the Russians are conducting search and rescue operations at the site of the boat's sinking, which may have had about 40 sailors on board.
"This is a significant loss, considering there are only three such Project 1241.1 boats in the composition of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, armed with anti-ship missiles such as Moskit with a range of up to 130 km... The consequences of reducing the Russian fleet are also significant," stated the Ukrainian Navy.
The estimated cost of the lost Russian boat is approximately $60-70 million.
What is known about Ivanovets
Ivanovets is a large missile boat of Project 12411 Molniya (Lightning), designed for the destruction of enemy surface combatants, landing and transport vehicles, vessels at sea, base points, naval formations, and their cover, as well as for covering its own ships and vessels from surface and aerial threats.
The boat was laid down in January 1988 at the Middle Neva Shipbuilding Plant, launched in July 1989, and joined the Black Sea Fleet in December 1989.
Ivanovets is armed with launchers for cruise missiles, a shipborne artillery system of 76mm caliber, and several 30mm caliber artillery mounts. The boat also features the Igla anti-aircraft missile complex.
According to the representative of military intelligence, Andrii Yusov, the sunken boat Ivanovets was a pride of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, as there were only three similar missile boats in its arsenal. However, as noted by Yusov, the Russian "pride of the fleet" could not cope with the challenges.
Russia continues to lose its fleet in the Black Sea
At the end of last December, the Russians lost their large landing ship Novocherkassk in Feodosia. The Russian landing ship was hit by cruise missiles launched by Ukrainian aviation. Almost 80 sailors and ammunition were on board the landing ship. As a result of the explosion, almost nothing was left of the ship.
With the sinking of Ivanovets, Ukrainian forces have now destroyed 24 Russian boats, ships, and submarines. Among them is the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the cruiser Moskva.
Among the destroyed and damaged Russian vessels by Ukrainian forces are the landing ships Saratov and Olenegorsy Gornyak, the submarine Rostov-on-Don, the landing ship Minsk, and the missile carrier Askold.
