Ukrainian drone strike destroys Russian cargo ship at Caspian port
Partially submerged cargo ship Port Olya-4 (photo: defence-ua.com)
The destruction of the vessel Port Olya-4 in the Caspian Sea, which was transporting weapons and Shahed drone components from Iran, was described as a "five-star mission" for the Special Operations Forces (SOF). However, the SOF completed it despite all difficulties, according to Defense Express.
The vessel sunk by Ukrainian drones had been operating between Amirabad in Iran and the Russian Port Olya in the Volga Delta since the beginning of active cooperation between the Russian and Iranian regimes. It was transporting ready-to-use Shahed-136 drones, components for them, as well as ammunition and weapons from Iran.
Russian vessel Port Olya-4 before drone strike (photo: defence-ua.com)
At the time of the strike, according to photos circulating online, the vessel was anchored near the shore. As a result of the attack, the superstructure was completely burned out, and the hull partially submerged — possibly the depth prevented full sinking.
"It is not reported what exactly was used in the strike, but it is clearly a case of long-range drones. At the very least, an air raid alert was declared last night in Astrakhan region," the publication notes.
It also states that striking a vessel with long-range drones — not to mention fully sinking it — is not a trivial task.
- First, the vessel had to be tracked, which is already quite difficult considering the tendency of the Russians to switch off transponders to avoid identification.
- Only after confirming the vessel's location were long-range drones launched. They had to travel at least 850 kilometers to the target — through the front line, temporarily occupied territories, and several Russian regions.
- After reaching Port Olya, the drones had to hit a specific target — the cargo ship. And even at anchor, a ship is not a stationary target.
"This means the drones had to be equipped with homing systems, as well as warheads of appropriate size to sink a vessel with a displacement of nearly 5,000 tons and a length of 123 meters. In other words, it was a 'five-star' mission," the publication concluded.
According to the General Staff, on August 14 the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the seaport of Olya in Russia's Astrakhan region and struck a vessel carrying drone components and Iranian ammunition. As a result of the strike, the vessel settled on the bottom and partially sank.
The Russians claimed that at least 14 drones allegedly targeted the port. Russian air defense reportedly shot down 10 of them, while four drones hit the vessel Port Olya-4.
