“Cesar Kunikov” sank. The Kremlin is ashamed to admit this defeat

“Ships launched like partridges”

A video clip published by Ukrainian intelligence shows the ship before and after the attack. It shows a bright explosion and then a fire that causes the ship to sink.

Russian officials are silent about this incident. The fate of the Cesar Kunikov crew, which likely numbered around 90 people, remains uncertain. According to GUR, Russian search and rescue efforts have not yet yielded any results.

– Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded evasively when asked by reporters on Wednesday to comment on the fate of the ship.

The only official statement from the Russian Defense Ministry shows that on the night of February 13-14, Russia shot down six Ukrainian drones over the Black Sea.

Leon Neal/Getty Images

A model of the Magura V5 unmanned surface ship at the International Defense and Security Equipment Trade Fair in London, September 12, 2023.

But the attack was reported through a channel on the Telegram electronic platform – Rybar, which is friendly to the Russian Ministry of Defense (a project implemented by Russian intelligence – ed.). The hosts of another military channel on Telegram claim that the crew survived.

– Describes the situation on Military Informer, another specialized channel on Telegram.