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Ukraine says it hit one of Russia's oldest and proudest ships, continuing its rampage against the Black Sea Fleet
By Mia Jankowicz,
25 days ago
Ukraine says it hit another of Russia's Black Sea Fleet ships, setting it ablaze.
The Kommuna, Russia's oldest serving ship, was struck in Crimea, a Ukrainian spokesperson said.
The 111-year-old Kommuna has historical value — but is also of practical use, one expert said.
Ukraine says it has struck another of Russia's Black Sea Fleet ships — this time, its oldest active-duty naval vessel.
Ukrainian navy spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk told Ukrainska Pravda that the ship was set ablaze at the port city of Sevastopol, in Russia-occupied Crimea, in an attack on Sunday.
"The type of damage caused to the ship is being established, but early reports indicate that the ship is not fit to perform missions," Pletenchuk told the paper. Business Insider has not independently verified the claim.
He didn't clarify the nature of the claimed attack, but prominent Crimea-based Telegram accounts reported an explosion and the deployment of firefighters toward the port early Sunday local time.
Mikhail Razvozhaev, the Russian-appointed governor of Crimea, wrote on Telegram that Russia's military had repelled an anti-ship missile, whose falling fragments had caused a small fire that was quickly put out.
(It is not unusual for Ukrainian officials to say an attack succeeded and for Russian ones to say that it failed.)
Unverified video circulating on social media showed smoke rising from a port.
First launched in 1913, the Kommuna is woven into Russia's naval history, having served in multiple 20th-century conflicts, according to KHCF , a Russian site devoted to following the Black Sea Fleet.
Open-source naval expert HI Sutton, remarking on its antique status, said the Kommuna "gets a degree of sympathy because she is an ancient and beautiful ship." But, he said, "objectively she is a legitimate target and provides Russian navy with valuable capabilities.
"She often participates in submarine trials and can conduct seabed warfare," he added.
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