Ukrainian military intelligence reports destroying two large Russian landing ships in Sevastopol Bay on April 18-19, with total losses exceeding $150 million.
Ukrainian Strike on Russian Vessels
Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) announced strikes against two large Russian landing ships in occupied Crimea. The ships, located in Sevastopol Bay, have been disabled, according to a HUR statement released on Monday, April 20.
The attack, carried out by HUR’s Prymary (duchy) special unit, occurred overnight between April 18 and 19. The vessels destroyed were the Yamal, a Project 775 ship, and the Nikolai Filchenkov, a Project 1171 ship.
Damage Assessment
Total losses are estimated to exceed $150 million. The Yamal, built in 1988 at the Gdańsk Shipyard in Poland, is over 112 meters long and can carry up to 500 tons of cargo, with an estimated value of over $80 million. The Yamal had previously been attacked in 2024.
The Nikolai Filchenkov, constructed in 1975, is designed for transporting armored vehicles and large landing contingents, with a capacity of up to 1000 tons and a value estimated at over $70 million.
Additional Damage and Drone Attacks
Both ships, used by Russia in the war against Ukraine, have been disabled. During the operation in temporarily occupied Sevastopol, Ukrainian intelligence also destroyed a Russian ‘Podlet-K1’ radar station, valued at approximately $5 million.
Overnight from Sunday to Monday, April 20, Ukraine again attacked the port in Tuapse, Krasnodar Krai, with drones, just hours after extinguishing a fire from a previous attack on April 16.
Tuapse Port and Shadow Fleet
Tuapse is one of the main ports in southern Russia, handling exports of petroleum products. According to the British investigative portal The Insider, citing satellite imagery, the port plays a key role in the operation of Russia’s shadow fleet – comprised of outdated, uninsured tankers used to transport oil, circumventing international sanctions.
A fire broke out at the port, and drone debris damaged windows in numerous buildings in the city, according to Krasnodar Krai Governor Vladimir Kondratyev’s Telegram post. Damage also occurred to a primary school, museum, church, and kindergarten, as well as a gas installation.
Shifting Dynamics in the Conflict
Kyiv is no longer solely requesting aid but is offering invaluable military expertise that the West lacks. The roles have reversed – Ukraine has become an expert in survival, demonstrating its ability to independently paralyze the foundations of the Russian war machine, according to Wyborcza.pl, citing reserve Lt. Col. Maciej Korowaj, a former officer of the Military Intelligence Service of the Ministry of National Defence.
