U.S. State Department comments on Ukraine's strikes on Russian fleet in Black Sea
Photo: Defense forces of Ukraine sank the Russian ship Tsezar Kunikov (rus media)
The U.S. State Department acknowledges that the actions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, specifically the strikes on the Russian Black Sea Fleet, including the recent destruction of the large landing ship Tsezar Kunikov, have significantly restricted the capabilities of the occupiers in the Black Sea waters, informs the Voice of America.
According to a representative of the U.S. State Department, the "fact that the Russian fleet cannot operate in the Black Sea as it pleases" demonstrates a fundamental shift in strategic positioning in the Black Sea region.
The American official added that Russia has already lost twenty percent of its Black Sea fleet.
Commenting on the Ukrainian defenders' elimination of the Russian landing ship Tsezar Kunikov using maritime drones, the State Department noted that "these drone strikes in the Black Sea are a serious matter."
He also added that this was achieved "through ingenuity, support from Ukraine's allies and partners, of course, but really thanks to Ukraine's chosen creative and technologically advanced approach of an asymmetric path to change the security balance in the Black Sea."
The official noted that the corresponding shift in balance was crucial for a fundamental element of U.S. support for Ukraine, which involves promoting the development of the Ukrainian economy and enabling Ukraine to sustain its military efforts independently.
"And they couldn't have achieved that without challenging the Black Sea Fleet and putting the Black Sea Fleet at risk," concluded the State Department representative.
Destruction of the landing ship Tsezar Kunikov on February 14
Earlier, it was reported that in the morning of February 14, information about explosions in the vicinity of Alupka in the temporarily occupied Crimea began to circulate online, and a Russian landing ship came under attack near the coast.
It was reported that an alarm sounded on the vessel, and later, local residents heard several explosions.
Later, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that a large landing ship of the occupiers, Tsezar Kunikov, was destroyed near the shores of the temporarily occupied Crimea. At the time of the strike, the ship was in the territorial waters of Ukraine near Alupka.
The General Staff released a video showing the sinking of the Russian landing ship, noting that it was attacked by the Magura V5 maritime drones.
For more details on the successful attack by Ukrainian defenders on the occupiers' ship, refer to the material by RBC-Ukraine.
