Following a drone attack by Ukrainian forces on Russia's Black Sea Fleet base of Sevastopol in Crimea, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) ccused British troops of being involved in Saturday's attack and in blowing up gas pipelines last month. Moscow did not offer any proof of its allegations.
"The Kyiv regime carried out a terrorist attack against the ships of the Black Sea Fleet and civilian ships that were on the outer and inner roads of the Sevastopol base. The attack involved nine unmanned aerial vehicles and seven autonomous maritime drones," Russia's Defence Ministry said in a statement.
"The preparation of this terrorist act and the training of military personnel of 73rd Marine Special Operations Centre were carried out under supervision of British specialists," it said.
Sevastopol, the largest city in Crimea and the home of Russia's Black Sea Fleet woke up to heavy explosions and anti-aircraft fire during an attack Russian officials say included aerial drones and especially unmanned surface vessels (USV), both of which were 'suicide' or 'kamikaze' types mean to explode when they arrive at their targets.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have since released incredible footage purportedly from aboard several unmanned surface vessels used in the attack. The video shows the purported attack run on a guided missile frigate and Russian forces engaging the USVs with machine-gun fire.
Russian officials claimed that only one vessel was slightly damaged while all Ukrainian aerial drones were destroyed and that "British specialists" were involved, without offering any proof. Russian-installed officials in occupied Crimea call it "the most massive since the beginning of the special operation."
Moscow claimed 16 aerial and maritime drones were destroyed, and that only a minesweeper had sustained damage.
It is not yet clear whether that is indeed the case, with reports suggesting that the flagship frigate was also hit. Claims and counterclaims have become part of this war.
But Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia was using "a false pretext to block the grain corridor". Ukraine, he said, had "warned of Russian's plans to ruin" the deal.
The low-light footage clearly shows a Project 11356R Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate — one of Russia's most modern and powerful warships — underway, as well as Sevastopol harbor. There are reports that the Admiral Makarov, reportedly the Black Sea Fleet's new flagship after the Project 1164 Slava-class cruiser Moskva sank in April, was damaged in the attack, although his could not be confirmed.
Ukrainian officials previously claimed in May that the Admiral Makarov sank like the Moskva after being hit by Ukrainian anti-ship missiles, though this was later proven to be false.
