Ukrainian air force chief scoffs at destruction of 113-meter drone transporter: “And the Russian fleet is getting smaller!”

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The Ukrainian army has scored a direct hit. Two Ukrainian fighter jets with cruise missiles attacked and destroyed the Russian landing ship Novocherkassk in the port of Feodosiya, in the eastern Crimean peninsula, on Tuesday evening. According to Ukrainian information, it was carrying Iranian drones intended for attacks on Ukraine. Apparently one person was killed and two were injured.

The commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Mykola Oleshchuk (51), shared a video and responded angrily: “And the Russian fleet is getting smaller and smaller! Thanks to the air force pilots and everyone involved for the delicate work.”

Important for supplies

With the destruction, the Ukrainian army has dealt a major blow to the Russians. It is the largest Russian ship that the Ukrainians have sunk after the 187-meter guided missile cruiser Moskva in April 2022. The Ukrainians repeatedly manage to damage or sink Russian warships.

The Novocherkassk belongs to the class of large landing ships developed by the Soviets. About 30 units were produced between 1975 and 1992 under the name “Project 775”. The Novocherkassk was put into use in 1987.

The 113 meter long and 32 km/h fast ships with 87 crew members are used for landings directly on shore and can each transport a load of 480 tons. It can carry up to 13 tanks or 20 heavy trucks and 150 soldiers. Each ship has two launch pads for Strela-3 and Grad-M missiles.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, all ships went to Russia – except one. The Kostyantyn Olshanskyj got Ukraine. But she lost the country when Crimea was annexed to Russia in 2014.

Ukrainian attack planes shot down

Several ‘Project 775’ ships were moved to the Black Sea in support when the Russians invaded Ukraine in 2022. In addition to the Novocherkassk, the Ukrainians damaged at least three other units of this class. The now destroyed drone transporter was also damaged shortly after the invasion.

When the Novocherkassk was sunk, the Ukrainians apparently had to accept a major setback themselves. According to information from Moscow, Russian anti-aircraft defenses shot down the two Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-24s that attacked the ship.

The Russian Black Sea Fleet supports Russian soldiers in the invasion of Ukraine. It delivers supplies and targets Ukrainian cities and positions with missiles and drones. By mid-year, much of the fleet had to withdraw because the Ukrainian defenses had become too dangerous.

Source: Blick