Russia, Ukraine Announce Separate Boat Strikes in Black Sea

Russia and Ukraine reported separate naval strikes in the Black Sea on August 21, underscoring continued hostilities in the region.

ZALA Aero, citing Russian Defense Ministry, said servicemen from the Rubikon Center for Combat Training used the ZALA Lancet loitering munition to stop a nighttime infiltration attempt by a Ukrainian sabotage group near Cape Tarkhankut, Crimea. "The enemy's attempted sabotage operation was thwarted with the assistance of the Rubikon Center. At a distance of 72 kilometers from the Crimean coast, one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces boats was hit by a crew of the Lancet loitering munition," the ministry said. Reconnaissance was reportedly carried out by a ZALA Z-20 drone.

Separately, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said its Defence Intelligence destroyed a Russian boat near Zaliznyi Port in the Kherson region. "On August 20, as a result of an operation by the Defence Intelligence in the Black Sea near the temporarily occupied Zaliznyi Port, Kherson region, an air-launched missile destroyed a boat belonging to the Russian invaders. All five members of the crew were eliminated," the statement read. It added that the strike was supported by drone laser designation and confirmed on video.

Both announcements point to ongoing strikes against naval targets, with Moscow and Kyiv reporting separate operations within a 24-hour period. Independent verification of the incidents has not been possible.