Ukrainian strike in Crimea devastates Russian naval assets, UK reveals
6:11 AM EDT, March 31, 2024
The Ukrainian attack on March 24, 2024, proved to be significantly more damaging to the Russians than previously believed, according to satellite images released by the British Ministry of Defence. Here's the latest update.
The attack by the Ukrainian air forces on March 24, 2024, targeting Russian positions near Sevastopol with Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG cruise missiles launched from modified Su-24s, was more effective than anticipated.
According to satellite imagery from the British Ministry of Defence, the attack caused damage not only to the communication center of the Black Sea Fleet's entire aviation and a pair of Ropucha Jamal and Azov class landing ships but also to the Yuri Ivanov class reconnaissance ship. The latter is presumed to have been damaged in 2023, with the Ivan Khurs being that class's sole representative in the Black Sea Fleet.
The precision strikes targeted the rear section of the ships, housing the engine room. The resulting explosion from a roughly 992-pound BROACH warhead likely led to the complete destruction of this section, rendering the ships inoperative for many months, if not resulting in their total withdrawal from service.
The Yuri Ivanov class reconnaissance ship — the Black Sea Fleet's latest addition
The Ivan Khurs, operational since 2018, is the second of the Yuri Ivanov class vessels (the first operates in the Northern Fleet). It stands as the newest addition to the Black Sea Fleet, boasting capabilities far surpassing other ships of its kind dating back to the 1980s.
Given the ship's mission, it comes equipped with a sophisticated array of radars and listening devices designed to intercept enemy communications in the region and relay the gathered data to other Black Sea Fleet units as part of the Podzagolovok-23 system.
Measuring 95 m (approximately 312 feet) in length and displacing 4,000 tons, the Ivan Khurs, however, relies on the protection of other fleet units. Its self-defense capabilities are limited to four large-caliber machine gun stations of the KPV 14.5x114 mm caliber and six 9K38 Igla launchers.
