Russian tanker reportedly struck by Ukranian ‘sea drones’ close to Crimea

A Russian tanker was reportedly struck by a Ukrainian ‘sea drone’ only a few nautical miles away from the Crimean Bridge. It comes as stories final evening steered numerous explosions were heard near the bridge.

Now the Russian state-run news company Tass says a tanker with the nation’s flag was attacked by Ukraine because it sailed the Black Sea. Tass says the engine room was broken however not one of the 11 crew injured.

A variety of Russian navy bloggers declare it’s the nation’s Sig oil tanker, reports BBC News. A variety of residents in close by villages reported listening to and seeing explosions final evening.

And site visitors stories steered the bridge itself was closed with the lights switched off.

Tass quotes an official from Russia‘s Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) who says two tugs had already arrived on the scene of the assault – simply to the south of the Kerch Strait.

They mentioned: “The engine room was damaged. Not much, but it was damaged.”

The MRCC didn’t present particulars on who the tanker belonged to. The Kerch Strait connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, separating Crimea – Ukraine‘s peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014 – and Russia‘s Taman peninsula.

Should Ukraine affirm the assault, it could be the newest in a collection of assaults within the space. Earlier a Russian naval ship was hit by a Ukraine by a naval strike off the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk.

Footage reportedly emerged displaying a drone strike hitting the Olenegorsky Gornyak giant touchdown ship. Russia mentioned it fended off an assault on its naval base in Novorossiysk however wouldn’t affirm any harm, says the BBC.

Novorossiysk is a significant export port for Russia. There have although been clashes within the space in latest weeks after Russia ditched its take care of the EU to permit grain to be exported throughout the Black Sea.