A Russian warship in the Black Sea was reportedly sunk by high-tech sea drones used by Ukraine on Tuesday.This happened as Ukraine’s forces are targeting places far away from the front line of the war. Russian officials did not say if it is true.
The Ukrainian military used small boats with explosives to destroy a big ship called Sergey Kotov. The small boats were made in Ukraine and controlled by a special unit. They did this overnight. Ukraine said a patrol ship near the Kerch Strait was hit. It can carry cruise missiles and has about 60 crew members.
It is not clear if the Ukrainian claim is true, and there has been false information in the fighting that started after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Kyiv’s soldiers are trying hard to keep the well-supplied Russian army from advancing at certain places on the 1,500-kilometer front line. They are also attacking targets far from the battlefield.
Ukraine has defeated Russian warships in the Black Sea, so now they can send grain out by ship.
The Ukraine defense ministry shared a video on X, which was previously known as Twitter, showing a nighttime attack on the Sergey Kotov.
The security company Ambrey reported that the attack happened at the port of Feodosia, in Crimea, which Russia took over in 2014. Ambrey said that they have seen a video taken by someone on a merchant ship in the port, which shows the Sergey Kotov shooting at the drones.
The ship got hit two times. The second hit caused a big explosion, according to Ambrey.
Ukraine said it used drones to sink two Russian warships last month. 1, it said it sank the Russian missile-armed ship Ivanovets, and on Feb. It was reported that the Caesar Kunikov landing ship was destroyed. Russian officials did not say that those statements are true.
Authorities in Kyiv said that around 20% of missile attacks from Russia on Ukraine come from the Black Sea. They also mentioned that it would be a source of embarrassment for Moscow if their ships in the Black Sea were hit.
Just about a year ago, a big ship from Russia’s Black Sea fleet called the Moskva sank because it was hit by missiles.
Tag: Black Sea
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Another Russian warship sunk in the Black Sea – Ukraine
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‘Russian missile boat struck by Ukraine in Black Sea’
Ukrainian forces claim they have destroyed a Russian missile boat from the Black Sea Fleet in a special operation near Russian-occupied Crimea.
The Ivanovets, a small warship, was hit directly on its side and sunk overnight, according to military intelligence.
It has released a video that claims to show the moment when the crash happened, and then a big explosion.
Russian authorities have not said anything about the incident.
However, a Russian military blogger named “Voenkor Kotenok” wrote on Telegram that the boat sank after being hit three times by naval drones.
The boat in the Ukrainian video looks like a Tarantul missile boat, which is the same type of boat that the Ivanovets is.
This includes the arrangement of the mast and sensors on the main part of the ship, and a big radar dome on top of the bridge.
Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said their special unit “Group 13” destroyed the boat in Lake Donuzlav, a bay in Crimea where the naval base is located.
The Russian ship was hit several times and got damaged. It couldn’t move anymore and sank. This was reported on their Telegram channel.
A rescue mission by Russian teams in the area did not find anything.
The ship was said to be worth around $60-70 million (or £47-55 million).
Ukraine did really well in the war near the Black Sea. They were able to damage or destroy Russian warships even though they don’t have their own fleet.
In December, Kyiv destroyed a big boat called Novocherkassk in Feodosia, Crimea. Russia said the ship was broken.
Last September, a missile hit the headquarters of the Black Sea fleet in Sevastopol. Satellite pictures revealed that the Russian navy had shifted a lot of its Black Sea fleet from Crimea to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. -
Putin under fire as Ukraine destroys supersonic fighter over Black Sea
Video has been found of Ukraine shooting down a cutting-edge Russian bomber over the Black Sea, which is a big victory against Vladimir Putin’s military.
The very fast warplane with two engines was getting ready to attack in the Odesa region when it got shot down by Ukrainian air defenses near Snake Island, also known as Zmiinyi Island.
Russian searchers looked really hard but couldn’t find the two pilots who were supposed to have been thrown out of the aircraft.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky praised his air defences for shooting down the Su-24M tactical bomber in the incident.
Mr Zelensky said in his talk at night that a Russian warplane was shot down today near Snake Island in the Black Sea.
The plane was going to attack the Odesa area. The terrorists lost again.
We will keep working to make sure the terrorists lose. “We are making our air defense system stronger. ”
Video has been found of the time Ukraine shot down a modern Russian plane over the Black Sea, showing that they won against Vladimir Putin’s army.
The fast military plane was getting ready to attack in the Odesa region when it was shot down by Ukrainian air defenses near Snake Island, also known as Zmiinyi Island.
The Russian search for the two crew members was not successful. They couldn’t find the two pilots, who were said to have been thrown out of the aircraft.
The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has praised his air forces for shooting down the Su-24M bomber in the incident.
Mr Zelensky said on TV tonight that a Russian plane got shot down in the Black Sea near Snake Island.
The plane was going to attack the Odesa region. The terrorists have lost again.
We will keep working to make sure the terrorists lose. We are making our air defense system stronger. -
Paranoid Putin alleges US and UK were involved in planning attack on Black Sea Fleet HQ
Russia says that Ukraine‘s friends in the West were involved in planning and carrying out a missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet’s base in Crimea.
Last week, a missile from Ukraine hit the Russian naval base. This caused severe damage to important buildings and sadly resulted in the deaths of at least 34 officers.
After the attack, a very angry Kremlin spokeswoman stated during a meeting: ‘There is no question that the attack had been carefully planned beforehand using information from Western intelligence sources, Nato satellites, and surveillance planes. It was carried out based on advice from American and British security agencies and with their close collaboration. ‘
Moscow often says that the UK, US, and their NATO allies have become involved in the war by giving weapons and information to Ukraine.
Russia took over the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 even though it was against the law. Since then, it has been a common focus point as Russia’s president Vladimir Putin sent a large military force to invade Ukraine about 20 months ago.
Crimea has been a major base for the invasion, and it is being targeted more and more by Ukraine.
Ukraine said that the attack caused a big hole in the main building of the headquarters and injured 105 people.
Russia first reported that one person in the military was dead, but then changed their statement and said the person was actually missing.
Moscow hasn’t given any new information or spoken directly about Mr. Sokolov’s condition
Ukrainian special forces said they killed Admiral Viktor Sokolov, who was in charge of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.
But, Russia’s Ministry of Defence later uploaded a video on Tuesday that showed Mr Sokolov and other high-ranking officers participating in a video meeting with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
The Special Operation Forces of Ukraine released a statement on Tuesday, saying that their sources have reported that Mr. Sokolov is one of the people who died. However, many of the dead individuals have not yet been identified. It said it was trying to check if the claim was true after the video appeared.
In the video, Mr. Sokolov blinked his eyes but didn’t say anything. This made people wonder if the Kremlin used old footage of him in the broadcast.
The Admiral also talked to reporters about the Black Fleet’s activities in a video that was shared on a Russian news channel connected to the Russian Defense Ministry.
But it was unsure when the video was made, and the video didn’t mention the Ukrainian attack on fleet headquarters.
The statement from the MOD agrees with what Dmitry Medvedev said. He mentioned that the arrival of tanks made in America in Ukraine and the US promising to give long-range missiles to Ukraine would bring Nato and Russia closer to a direct conflict. -
Viktor Sokolov: Black Sea navy commander seen in Russian video alive
Russia’s Defense Ministry has shared a video in which the commander of the Black Sea Fleet is seen attending a conference. This is in contrast to Ukraine’s claim that they have already killed him.
We do not know when the video with Viktor Sokolov and the defence minister was recorded.
The ministry said they had a meeting with important people on Tuesday.
OnMonday, the special forces of Ukraine announced that Adm Sokolov and 33 other officers were killed by a missile attack on the headquarters of their fleet in Sevastopol, which is controlled by Russia in Crimea.
They did not say the admiral’s name directly, and they didn’t provide any proof that he had passed away. Now, they are saying that they are giving more information about the reports.
“They said that 34 officers died when a missile hit the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. “
According to some reports, the leader of the Russian Black Sea Fleet was among the people who died. Many [people] still haven’t been recognized because their body parts are in bad shape.
The video is 8minuteslong and shows a meeting at the Defence Ministry that happened on Tuesday morning. The Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu is having a conversation with important people in a meeting room in Moscow.
He is sometimes shown on video calls with the commanders of Russia’s five fleets, including the Black Sea Fleet. None of the commanders speak during these calls.
The facial recognition software found similarities between pictures of Adm Sokolov and the man in the newest video, indicating that it is likely him.
But the BBC is not sureif the meeting really happened on Tuesday or if the video of Adm Sokolov is live.
On Friday, Ukraine announced that they had attacked the main base of the Russian navy which is considered the strongest, and it was a significant goal for Kyiv.
Videos on social media showed thick smoke coming out of the building. Russia said that it had destroyed five missiles, but unfortunately, one soldier went missing during the attack.
Recently, the Kyiv army has been attacking the Russian troops stationed in Crimea almost everyday.
Is Ukraine attempting to regain control of Crimea.
Inaddition to being used for attacking Ukraine, the Black Sea fleet is a significant symbol of Russia’s long-standing military presence in the region.
The place was in Crimea under a rental agreement even before Russia took over the peninsula illegally in 2014. -
Dozens killed and injured in attack on Black Sea Fleet headquarters – Ukraine Special Forces
On Saturday, Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces reported that they attacked Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Sevastopol. This attack caused many deaths and injuries, including high-ranking officials.
According to a message on Telegram, the Special Operations Forces (SOF) announced a planned attack called “Crab Trap” that was timed to happen during a meeting of important members of Russia’s Navy. The attack resulted in many people being killed or injured, including the high-ranking leaders of the navy.
The Special Operations Forces were able to attack the Black Sea Fleet headquarters at the right moment with accuracy. The Russian Navy’s top officials were having a meeting in the city of Sevastopol, which was temporarily occupied.
The information was sent to the Air Force to carry out an attack. The information about the attack will be shared when it can be done. The outcome is many dead and injured military members, including the top officials of the fleet.
It said, “We are going ahead. ”
Ukraine has not given any more information or proof about the number of people affected in the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense has only stated that a Russian soldier is missing after the missile attack on Friday. -
Huge explosions shake Putin’s Black Sea retreat after ‘kamikaze drone strike’
An explosive drone was utilized in an assault on a Russian holiday destination favored by Vladimir Putin in the summer, posing a potential threat and danger.
Videos on Telegram show a fire near the Adler International Airport in the city of Sochi, where they had the Winter Olympics in 2014.
A lot of thick, black smoke is coming out of a tank this morning. The tank has a lot of diesel fuel inside.
People thought that the city was attacked for the first time by a drone from Ukraine that was meant to cause a lot of damage.
An oil storage area in Sochi caught fire and exploded because a drone crashed into a tank containing diesel fuel.
One person reported hearing a loud noise like thunder before the fire started at 5am.
One possible explanation for what occurred is that a drone was used to launch an attack. People living nearby heard a big boom at around 5 am, according to someone.
Thick, dark smoke was seen in Sochi, but officials said that it did not affect the flights at the airport, which is an important place for tourists.
The fire occurred about 30 miles away from the president’s official home, Bocharov Ruchey. He had a meeting with Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko there last weekend.
Viktor Alksnis, a military strategist and politician from the Soviet Union, also known as the Black Colonel, quickly expressed his belief that Ukraine was aiming for the mansion.
Putin often governs Russia from Sochi, especially during the summer. Sochi is also the main base of his rumored lover, Alina Kabaeva, who is in charge of a prestigious gymnastics academy in the resort.
“He said that it appears the president’s favorite vacation spot, the Bocharov Ruchey residence near Sochi, will not be available for security reasons. ”
Ukraine is actively searching for Putin. If it is true that a Ukrainian drone attacked the Bocharov Ruchey residence, then it would be the third time someone tried to attack his official homes using a UAV.
The first attack happened on May 3 at the Kremlin and the second attack happened on September 5 at Zavidovo, which is Putin’s hunting palace in the Tver region.
Many firefighters came to the place, and there is a video that shows them battling the fire.
The governor of Krasnodar region, Veniamin Kondratyev, said that the incident happened. He also said that more than 60 firefighters and 15 pieces of equipment were sent to the location.
There is no danger of a fire spreading. We are finding out why the incident happened. -
Ukraine destroys another Russian ship in the Black Sea using ‘sea baby’ drone
A drone from Ukraine called ‘Sea Baby‘ hit and damaged a Russian missile hovercraft. This means that four Russian vessels commanded by Putin have been hit in the Black Sea within three days.
The Samum, which is a type of hovercraft called Bora-class, had to be pulled into the Sevastopol harbor after getting hit.
A photo of the ship at the dock seems to show that it has hidden damage on its right side.
According to the Ukrainian SBU intelligence service, the hovercraft was pulled while its back end was raised and tilted to the right side.
The ‘Sea Baby’ is a new Ukrainian-made underwater robot that can work even during a strong storm.
It was used to attack the bridge that connects Russia to the occupied Black Sea peninsula.
The Samum was attacked near the entrance of Sevastopol harbor in Crimea.
The Russians confessed that they launched an attack but claimed that they were able to fight off the attack successfully.
In a recent attack, the Ukrainian military targeted the Rostov-on-Don submarine with a Storm Shadow missile and drone strike. This attack caused significant damage to the submarine, making it unable to function properly. The incident took place at the Sevastopol shipyard.
According to reports from Russian media, an experimental underwater drone called Sea Baby collided with Russia’s Samum hovercraft. This is a picture of a hovercraft called Samum that was supposedly attacked.
The Samum, which is a type of hovercraft called Bora-class, had to be pulled by another boat into the Sevastopol harbor after being damaged.
The Russian warship Minsk was also badly damaged in the same place where ships are fixed.
Some people from Ukraine say that Russia has hidden the fact that 24 people died in the attack.
A kamikaze sea drone attacked and damaged the Vasily Bykov patrol ship, causing more trouble for dictator Vladimir Putin.
A video capturing the attack is available.
Putin also had a $1. 2 billion air defense system called Triumf that was destroyed in an attack on Crimea using a drone and Neptune missile. -
Ukraine alleges to have retaken drilling vessels in Black Sea
Ukraine says it has taken back control of four gas drilling platforms in the northern Black Sea, near the Crimean Peninsula.
A video captured special forces in Ukraine removing Russian military equipment. Ukraine claims that this happened last month.
Russia took control of the Boyko Towers in 2015, right after it unlawfully took over Crimea.
There has been a fight to gain control of these important waters since last year.
A video and statement from Ukraine’s military intelligence called Battle for the Sea show a rare look into this part of the conflict.
In the video, which the BBC cannot confirm is true, there are fast boats on the Black Sea carrying Ukrainian special forces teams.
At one time, the boats go near Snake Island, also called Zmiinyi Island. Russia took control of the island during its big attack last year, but it was taken back four months later.
Then, soldiers climb onto one of the raised areas and take away Russian supplies, as well as important radar equipment.
“In the drilling platforms, the Russians created storage areas with bullets and fuel for helicopters,” explains the video commentary.
“They also put radar devices on the towers to watch what was happening in the whole Black Sea. ”
The radar, called Neva-B, was being used to help Russia see better in the important area of water between Ukraine and the Crimean Peninsula.
At one moment, the video seems to show Ukrainian soldiers trying very hard to protect themselves from a Russian Su-30 fighter jet that is flying in circles above them.
People are happy and excited because a missile that can be carried on a person’s shoulder was fired and made a plane go away.
We don’t have clear proof of more fighting, but a military intelligence spokesperson said that Russian soldiers on one of the platforms were killed.
According to the military, the mission was very intense. They had to look for a soldier named “special agent Konan” for 14 hours because he fell off the ship. Luckily, they found him thanks to a drone.
Ukraine’s version of what happened cannot be confirmed by anyone else, but on 27 August, the Ministry of Defence in Britain tweeted that there were small fights near the gas platforms.
‘Fight for power happening behind the scenes’
The Ministry of Defense said that a Russian fighter plane attacked a small Ukrainian military boat near a platform in the northwest of the sea last week.
It’s a hidden fight between two sides for control over the northern Black Sea, which both sides consider extremely important.
The military said that the platforms have important resources like oil and gas, and can be used as bases for troops, places for helicopters to land, and to set up missile systems that can reach far distances.
Recently, Russia has said multiple times that they stopped small boats with Ukrainian soldiers on them near the western side of the Crimean Peninsula.Last year, Russia’s control over Snake Island and the Boyko platforms, which were named after Ukraine’s former minister of energy, was seen as a threat to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
Currently, Russia is facing a greater threat as Ukrainian drones and commandos are carrying out attacks on the northwest part of Crimea. They have caused damage to a radar base on the Tarkhankut Peninsula and even managed to plant a Ukrainian flag during an operation to celebrate Independence Day on 24 August.
Serhiy Kuzan from the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre in Kyiv said that the Boyko towers mission was a risky operation conducted from a far distance.
“We won against the Russians because we reached the towers first and took away their surveillance devices,” he explained, “before the Russians could send their planes to defend their equipment. ”
Kyiv is very clear about wanting to get back the Crimean Peninsula.
The video commentary says that Russia can no longer fully control the Black Sea. This means that Ukraine is now much closer to regaining control of Crimea.
For now, it may seem far away, but it is important to limit Russia’s ability to monitor the northern Black Sea in order to gradually weaken Moscow’s control. -
Two additional ships navigate the Black Sea Passage – Zelenskyy
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, two more ships have passed via the “temporary” Black Sea shipping channel that has been in place since Russia withdrew from a UN-backed grain export agreement in July.
Zelenskyy didn’t mention which ships were participating or when their trip was complete.
Four vessels have now reportedly used the channel, according to officials, who reported on Friday that two more have cleared it.
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Ship departs Odesa amid fears of Russian strike in Black Sea
Despite worries that Russia could attack ships in the Black Sea, a commerce ship has departed the Ukrainian port of Odesa.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, the Hong Kong-flagged Joseph Schulte has been imprisoned in the harbour.
After a contract that had permitted it to export grain last month fell through, Kyiv has announced a “humanitarian corridor” in the Black Sea.
Moscow, though, has not said whether it will adhere to the corridor.
The ship sailed away as Kyiv reported that Russian airstrikes had destroyed grain storage facilities in Reni, a Danube River river port located around 260 kilometres (160 miles) south-west of Odesa.
Photos of the damaged storage facilities and strewn grain and sunflower fields in Reni, near the border of Ukraine with Moldova and Romania, were provided by Ukrainian authorities.
According to a source in the business, the port’s operations are still ongoing.
Regarding the most recent incident, Russia made no remarks.
Last month, Russia backed out of an agreement that ensured shipments across the Black Sea would be transported safely and warned that any ship sailing towards Ukrainian ports may be targeted militarily.
It fired warning shots at a ship heading near Ukraine earlier this week.
Since Ukraine is a significant exporter of grains and oilseeds, the blockade has helped to drive up food prices around the world.
Russian airstrikes on grain storage facilities in Reni, on the Danube River, according to photos published by Ukrainian officials.
Despite the warnings, Ukraine last week declared a humanitarian corridor in the Black Sea to permit ships to leave its ports, guaranteeing complete openness to show that they were not acting in support of any military objectives.
Oleksandr Kubrakov, the deputy prime minister, announced on Facebook that “a first vessel used the temporary corridor for merchant ships to/from the ports of Great Odesa.”
According to Reuters, the Joseph Schulte’s owners, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement and a Chinese bank, confirmed the ship was headed to Istanbul, Turkey.
According to Mr. Kubrakov, the corridor was carrying 2,114 containers and more than 30,000 tonnes of cargo, including food, and it will mostly be used to evacuate ships stranded in Black Sea ports since Russia’s full-scale invasion started.
In the meantime, Russian forces had been routed from Urozhaine, a small hamlet in the Donetsk region, according to Ukrainian officials.
Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar posted on Telegram, “Urozhaine liberated – our defenders are entrenched at the periphery.”
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Ukraine sea drone hits Russian ship in black sea
Ukrainian sources, has stated that a Russian naval ship in the Black Sea was damaged in a drone attack conducted by the Ukrainian navy. The incident reportedly took place near the Russian port of Novorossiysk, a major hub for Russian exports.
Russia’s defense ministry claimed to have repelled the Ukrainian attack on its naval base using two sea drones but did not acknowledge any damage to its vessel. However, Ukrainian security service sources revealed that the ship, Olenegorsky Gornyak, was struck and suffered a serious breach. They stated that a sea drone carrying 450kg (992lb) of dynamite hit the ship.
Russia’s official report did not mention any damage resulting from the attack. Sea drones are unmanned vessels that operate either on or below the water’s surface.
A video provided to the BBC by a source with Ukraine’s security service appears to show the drone approaching a ship, believed to be the Olenegorsky Gornyak. The footage depicts the vessel coming close to the ship’s side before the feed abruptly cuts off, presumably due to the impact. An unverified video also shows the ship listing to one side.
The Olenegorsky Gornyak is a landing ship designed for launching amphibious forces close to shore for beach landings and efficiently unloading cargo at ports. Any damage to this vessel could disrupt Russia’s efforts to resupply its forces fighting in occupied southern Ukraine.
In response to the attack, the Novorossiysk port temporarily suspended ship movements, as stated by the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which handles oil loading onto tankers at the port.
Research conducted by BBC Verify indicates that Ukraine has carried out at least ten attacks using sea drones, targeting military ships, Russia’s naval base in Sevastopol, and Novorossiysk harbor in a previous assault. Ukrainian defense sources also disclosed that sea drones were employed in an attack on the Kerch Bridge in Crimea in July.
Ukraine’s attempts to target the Novorossiysk port are not new, and the reasons behind their actions are apparent.
The port plays a crucial role in exporting approximately 1.8 million barrels of oil per day, accounting for about 2% of the global supply. Additionally, Novorossiysk serves as a significant naval base for Moscow.
Recent weeks have witnessed an escalation in sea clashes following Russia’s decision to abandon a UN deal that allowed safe grain exports between Russia and Ukraine across the water. As a result, Ukrainian ports have faced attacks from Russian drones, prompting Kyiv to respond actively.
Interestingly, Ukraine appears more forthcoming in acknowledging its involvement in strikes using sea drones, in contrast to attacks deeper within Russian territory.
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Zelensky’s holiday home on Black Sea to be sold to fund Russia’s invasion
Russia has declared the nationalization of Volodymyr Zelensky’s holiday home on Crimea’s Black Sea coast and intends to sell the property to finance its invasion of Ukraine.
The leader appointed by Russia in Crimea, which was unlawfully annexed by Moscow in 2014, made a video announcement on Thursday, stating that the local legislature has decided to nationalize 57 properties formerly owned by Ukrainian tycoons and public figures.
“Crimea will regain rights for a number of properties including a building in Simferopol that belongs to the banned Crimean Tatar parliament as well as Olena Zelenska’s flat,” said Sergey Aksyonov, referring to the president’s flat that is registered in his wife’s name.
“Enemies of Russia won’t be making money in Russian Crimea,” he added.
Prior to his election as president in 2019, Volodymyr Zelensky was widely known as Ukraine’s most popular comedian and co-owner of a successful TV production company.
In 2013, the Zelenskys purchased a three-room penthouse apartment in the prestigious coastal town of Livadia in Crimea. However, they never had the opportunity to reside there due to ongoing renovations and the subsequent annexation of Crimea.
Russian state media estimated the value of the property to be approximately $800,000 (£648,000).
Russia’s annexation of 2014 triggered a massive land grab across the peninsula as at least 4,000 enterprises and individuals had their property expropriated just in the first year of the invasion.
In many cases, owners were forced to pay bribes to simply re-assert their property rights as the Russian government started to register properties anew.
Vladimir Konstantinov, speaker of the Russia-declared parliament, said on Thursday the Zelenskys’ flat will be sold off and the proceeds are likely to be used to fund the war in Ukraine.
“It will be put up for sale, and money will first of all go towards the needs of the special military operation, families of the killed soldiers and families of the mobilised men,” he told state Russian TV.
He suggested the Ukrainian president is not going to miss the property: “Of course, it is not a big loss for him.”
Mr Zelensky reportedly was not renting it out.
Earlier this year, Russian authorities in Crimea ordered the nationalisation of about 700 properties, from vineyards to factories, belonging to some of Ukraine’s richest tycoons suspected of “enemy activity” and links to the Kyiv government.
It was not clear where the proceeds from that sell-off went.
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Black Sea shipping rates jump 20% since start of 2023
Shipping rates in the Black Sea have risen by 20% since the start of the year as war risk insurance premiums increase, Reuters reported, citing unnamed industry sources.
What’s more, some insurers have stopped providing coverage for ships and planes moving goods to and from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. Reinsurers have also pulled out of the region on heightened risks, the report noted.
The Black Sea, which is shared by Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, and Turkey, is a major oil and oil product shipping artery.
“The effect of (the exit of reinsurers) is reducing (underwriting) capacity in the market for war risk and will mean people will pay more this year,” one of the Reuters sources explained.
These higher rates and limited availability of reinsurance coverage add to industry woes related to the G7 price cap imposed on Russian oil exports. Per the rules of the cap regime, Western insurers, which constitute about 90 percent of all maritime insurers, are banned from providing coverage for vessels carrying Russian crude sold at over $60 per barrel.
According to a recent FT report, about a quarter of Russian oil shipments in December had Western insurance coverage, suggesting at least this quarter was sold at less than $60 per barrel. Indeed, Russia’s Urals has been trading below $60 per barrel for more than a month.
Higher freight rates for Black Sea shipping, however, would add to the costs of the goods being shipped through the chokepoint.
“For shipments going in and out of Russia you will find premiums going up. It could easily rise by 50% (from the end of last year) to reflect the cost of capital from not being reinsured,” another Reuters source said.
On the flip side, tanker rates have declined despite expectations of a spike after the EU embargo on Russian crude went into effect. Among the reasons is the embargo itself: European refiners ramped up their intake of Russian crude before December 5 and after that date came the buying spree subsided and died out, effectively reducing demand for tankers.
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Russian ambassador has ‘evidence’ UK special forces involved in attack on Black Sea fleet
“The nuclear war cannot be won and it should never be fought. And we stick strongly to this statement,” Moscow’s ambassador to the UK, Andrey Kelin, told Sky News.
The Russian ambassador to the UK has claimed Britain played a role in an attack on its warships – warning the country is “too deep” in the Ukraine war.
In an interview with Sky’s Mark Austin, diplomat Andrei Kelin claimed he had ‘proof’ that UK special forces were involved in a Ukrainian drone assault on Russia’s Black Sea fleet in Crimea and had handed evidence to the British ambassador.
Asked to provide evidence of Russia’s claims, Mr Kelin said: “We perfectly know about [the] participation of British specialists in [the] training, preparation and execution of violence against the Russian infrastructure and the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. We know that it has been done.”
Image:Russia’s ambassador to the UK, Andrei Kelin Pressed to give evidence to the public on Moscow’s accusation the attack on the Russian fleet in the Black Sea was carried out under the guidance and leadership of British Navy specialists, Mr Kelin said it had been handed to the British ambassador and added that “it will become public pretty soon,” perhaps today, perhaps tomorrow.
He added: “It is dangerous because it escalates the situation. It can bring us up to the line of I would say no return, return is always possible. But anyway, we should avoid escalation.
“And this is a warning actually that Britain is too deep in this conflict. It means the situation is becoming more and more dangerous.”
The UK government has said such claims are false and are designed to distract from Russia’s military failures in Ukraine.
A spokesperson said: “In recent days, Russia has made a range of allegations against the UK, clearly designed to distract attention from Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine; Russia’s losses on the battlefield and its bombing of civilian populations and energy infrastructure without any regard for international law and the loss of innocent life.
“We do not plan to give a running commentary on these allegations; it is no secret that the United Kingdom has taken a public lead in our support to Ukraine – this has been enduring since Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.”
Moscow has cast Britain as a particularly insidious Western foil to Russia. President Vladimir Putin has said the UK is plotting to destroy Russia and carve up its vast natural resources.
Image: A Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launched during nuclear exercises Ambassador denies Moscow would use nuclear weapons
Speaking after Russia accused the West of “encouraging provocations with weapons of mass destruction”, Mr Kelin denied Moscow would use nuclear weapons in Ukraine.
Mr Kelin said: “The nuclear war cannot be won and it should never be fought. And we stick strongly to this statement.”
Image: A Russian Tu-95MS strategic bomber landing during exercises held by the country’s strategic nuclear forces Asked if Moscow could use a tactical nuclear weapon in the conflict, Mr Kelin replied: “No. The world has every assurance that Russia is not going to use [a] tactical nuclear weapon in [the] Ukrainian conflict.”
Moscow has been ramping up its nuclear rhetoric since it invaded Ukraine, most recently by accusing Kyiv of planning to use a “dirty bomb,” though it did not offer evidence. Kyiv has denied it has any such plan.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said it feared the five declared nuclear powers were teetering “on the brink of a direct armed conflict”.
It added: “We are strongly convinced that in the current complicated and turbulent situation, caused by irresponsible and impudent actions aimed at undermining our national security, the most immediate task is to avoid any military clash of nuclear powers.”
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West urges Russia to undo Ukraine grain deal suspension
Moscow withdrew from the Black Sea agreement after accusing Ukraine of carrying out a drone attack in Crimea.
Western governments are urging Russia to reverse its decision to withdraw from an UN-brokered grain deal, which undermines efforts to alleviate the global food crisis, with Ukraine claiming Moscow planned the move well in advance.
In July, Russia and Ukraine signed a deal brokered by Turkey and the United Nations under which Moscow allowed grain ships to leave Ukrainian Black Sea ports. The agreement, which had already allowed the export of over 9 million tonnes of Ukrainian grain, was set to be renewed on November 19.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday expressed “deep concern” as Ukraine’s maritime grain exports were halted.
“The Secretary-General continues to engage in intense contacts aiming at the end of the Russian suspension of its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative,” Guterres’ spokesman said.
“The same engagement also aims at the renewal and full implementation of the initiative to facilitate exports of food and fertilizer from Ukraine, as well as removing the remaining obstacles to the exports of Russian food and fertilizer.”
Moscow suspended its participation in the deal on Saturday, effectively blocking shipments from Ukraine, one of the world’s top grain exporters, in response to what it called a major Ukrainian drone attack earlier in the day on its Black Sea Fleet headquarters near the port of Sevastopol in Russian-annexed Crimea.
“Russia’s decision to suspend participation in the Black Sea deal puts at risk the main export route of much-needed grain and fertilisers to address the global food crisis caused by its war against Ukraine,” European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Twitter on Sunday.
“The EU urges Russia to [reverse] its decision.”
Russia’s decision to suspend participation in the Black Sea deal puts at risks the main export route of much needed grain and fertilisers to address the global food crisis caused by its war against Ukraine.
The EU urges Russia to revert its decision.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) October 30, 2022
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Russia says Black Sea grain shipments ‘risky’ after its withdrawal from export deal
Russia has warned that it would be “risky” for Ukraine to continue exporting grain via the Black Sea after Moscow suspended its participation in an initiative to facilitate shipments.
“In conditions when Russia is talking about the impossibility of guaranteeing the safety of shipping in these areas, such a deal is hardly feasible, and it takes on a different character – much more risky, dangerous and unguaranteed,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Peskov said Russian contacts with Turkey and the United Nations, who brokered the grain export deal in July, were continuing. He declined to comment when asked what needed to happen, from Russia’s point of view, for the deal to be resumed.
Source: Aljazeera.com