Russia says tanker hit in Ukrainian attack near Crimea

A Russian tanker has been deed successful a Ukrainian onslaught successful the Black Sea, Russia's state-run quality bureau has said, quoting maritime officials.

Tass said the vessel's motor country was damaged successful the overnight onslaught successful the Kerch Strait. No-one was injured.

Several Russian subject bloggers accidental it was a Russian lipid tanker that was attacked by a Ukrainian naval drone not acold from the Crimean Bridge.

They accidental residents of adjacent coastal villages heard a ample explosion.

Ukraine has truthful acold not publically commented connected the issue.

Naval drones, oregon oversea drones, are small, unmanned vessels which run connected oregon beneath the water's surface.

Tass quoted an authoritative from Russia's Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) arsenic saying that 2 tugs had already arrived astatine the country of the onslaught - conscionable to the southbound of the Kerch Strait.

"The motor country was damaged. Not much, but it was damaged," the authoritative said.

The MRCC provided nary further details astir the tanker and its owners.

The Kerch Strait connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separating Crimea - Ukraine's peninsula annexed by Moscow successful 2014 - and Russia's Taman peninsula.

Russian state-run media besides reported that lighting connected the Crimean Bridge - further northbound - were turned disconnected and each postulation halted amid warnings of an imminent attack.

If the onslaught is confirmed, it would beryllium the latest specified drone onslaught successful the area.

Footage aboriginal emerged purportedly showing the drone hitting the Olenegorsky Gornyak ample landing ship. Another unverified video showed a heavy listing vas being towed to port.

But Russia's defence ministry said it had repelled a Ukrainian onslaught connected its naval basal successful Novorossiysk which progressive 2 oversea drones, but did not admit immoderate damage.

Novorossiysk, a large hub for Russian exports, lies to the south-east of the Kerch Strait.

Clashes successful the oversea person accrued successful caller weeks, aft Russia abandoned a large UN woody that enabled atom to beryllium safely exported betwixt Russia and Ukraine crossed the Black Sea.

Ukrainian ports person been pummelled by Russian drones and missiles, and Kyiv has threatened to retaliate.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful February 2022.