Russia announce that unmanned surface vessels were launched from civilian grain vessel on Black Sea

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO — SUNDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2022, 18:03

The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation has suggested that the unmanned surface vessels (USVs) that attacked the ships of the Black Sea Fleet on 29 October were launched from aboard a civilian vessel near Odesa. They have based these statements on the analysis of the navigation modules of the naval drones.

Source: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation

Details: The  Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation stated that they raised the wreckage of the USVs to the surface, and their experts conducted an examination of their Canadian-made navigation modules.

They claim to have established that the USVs were launched from the coast in Odesa Oblast.

Quote: "Unmanned surface vessels moved through the grain corridor safety zone, after that they changed their route in the direction of the Russian shipping port in Sevastopol. At the same time, the coordinates of the movement of one of the USVs indicate that their starting point was in the seas of the grain corridor safety zone in the Black Sea.

As experts believe, this may indicate a preliminary launch of this device from aboard one of the civilian ships chartered by Kyiv or its Western patrons to export agricultural products from the seaports of Ukraine."

Background:

• On 29 October, explosions were reported in the Russian-occupied city of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula; Russian ships were allegedly "repelling a USV attack". The Russian Ministry of Defence stated that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had allegedly attacked Sevastopol with drones at 04:00 on 29 October. The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation confirmed damage to the Ivan Golubets minesweeper.
• Later it became known that at least three ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, including the Admiral Makarov flagship, were damaged as a result of the unmanned surface vessel [USV] attack on 29 October.
• Russian Defence Ministry has accused the British Navy for allegedly having planned and carried out "terrorist attacks" on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. The Ministry alleged that preparations for the "attack" on Sevastopol were carried out under the guidance of members of the British Navy, who the Russians claim are currently in the Ukrainian city of Ochakiv.
• The southern defence forces of Ukraine suspect that failed launches of air defence missiles by the Russian invaders could be a reason for explosions in Sevastopol on Saturday. 
• The Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs has announced that Russia was suspending its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative for an indefinite period. 

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