Good morning indeed: the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit the occupiers' tugboat, which was transporting people and weapons to Zmiinyi (Snake) Island
ROMAN PETRENKO — FRIDAY, 17 JUNE 2022, 09:50
The naval forces of the Armed Forces struck a tugboat belonging to the Russian occupiers with a TOR anti-aircraft missile system on board, which carried people and weapons to Zmiinyi (Snake) Island.
Source: The Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Pivden [South] Operational Command
Quote: "The Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit another "no analogues" [best in class equipment] - a tugboat with SAM TOR [short-range surface-to-air missile system] on board.
The Vasily Bekh tugboat of the Black Sea Fleet was hit in the Black Sea during its transportation of the ammunition, weapons and personnel of the Black Sea Fleet to Zmiinyi (Snake) Island.
Even the presence of the TOR anti-aircraft missile system on board did not prevent the Ukrainian Navy from demilitarising Russian invaders."
Updated: According to Pivden [South] Operational Command, the tugboat "was turned into a floating hearth."
According to preliminary data, 70% of the crew was hit, the fate of the rest is unknown.
Russian ships are trying to conduct a search and rescue operation.
Reference: The tugboat with water displacement of 1605 tons, built at the Astrakhan shipyard, was accepted into the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation in 2017.
Background:
- According to the Ukrainian military, Russia keeps about 40 Calibre cruise missiles that are ready in the Black Sea.
In early June, the Ukrainian military command reported that the Russians had deployed anti-aircraft missile systems and multiple launch rocket systems on Zmiinyi [Snake] Island, the range of which can reach the south areas of the Odesa region.
