There could have been up to 40 sailors on board the Russian boat Ivanovets destroyed by the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine on the night of 1 February in the western part of occupied Crimea, the Ukrainian Navy has said.
"Search and rescue operations are currently underway. Given the staffing of 40 sailors, the consequences of the reduction of the Russian ship's personnel are also significant," the Navy noted.
In addition, it stressed that the boat belonged to the 41st brigade of missile boats, it was on combat duty, guarding the base in Novoozerne.
"This is a rather significant loss, given the presence of only three such boats of the 1241.1 project in the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation and weapons, including anti-ship missiles of the Mosquito type with a range of up to 130 km," the agency said.
They also added that these are not the first enemy losses in this brigade. Earlier, the Security Service of Ukraine and the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine damaged a small missile ship of the Samum project 1239.
"This operation is another reminder to the Russian invaders that staying on the territory of the occupied facilities in Crimea with impunity is harmful to their health," the Navy said.