Ukraine sinks Russian warship, secures international defense aid

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

UKRAINE’S TOP INTELLIGENCE GROUP SAYS IT DESTROYED ANOTHER RUSSIAN MISSILE SHIP. THIS TIME IT WAS THE ‘IVANOVETS’ IN THE HIGHLY CONTESTED BLACK SEA. 

THERMAL VIDEO SHOWS 3 NAVAL DRONES APPROACHING THE RUSSIAN WARSHIP AND EXPLODING ON IMPACT. MINUTES LATER THE “IVANOVETS” CAPSIZED AND SANK . 

ACCORDING TO INTELLIGENCE SOURCES THE SHIP IS VALUED AT AROUND $70 MILLION. SO FAR — MOSCOW HAS YET TO RESPOND TO THE INCIDENT. 

UKRAINE’S BEEN SCORING SOME MAJOR VICTORIES IN THE BLACK SEA SINCE RUSSIA TOOK OVER CRIMEA. 

IN 2022, USING NEPTUNE MISSILES UKRAINE TOOK DOWN THE FLAGSHIP OF RUSSIA’S BLACK SEA FLEET, THE ‘MOSKVA.’ 

THEN, AROUND CHRISTMAS IN 2023, UKRAINIAN FORCES SANK THE RUSSIAN LANDING SHIP ‘NOVOCHERKASSK,’ WHICH COULD CARRY 400 TROOPS. 

OVERALL — OFFICIALS REPORT THEY’VE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED NEARLY 30 RUSSIAN WARSHIPS — AND PULLED ALL THIS OFF WITHOUT HAVING WARSHIPS OF THEIR OWN. UKRAINE’S SECRETARY OF SECURITY, OLEKSIY DANILOV SAYS

OLEKSIY DANILOV | SECRETARY OF THE SECURITY AND DEFENSE COUNCIL OF UKRAINE

“Of course, we would prefer a more favorable situation regarding the liberation of our territories. However, parallel to these efforts, substantial events unfolded in the Black Sea, resulting in the loss of 20% of the Russian Federation’s fleet.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

WHILE UKRAINE’S ARMED FORCES ARE MANAGING TO TAKE ON A MUCH LARGER NAVAL FLEET, THEY’RE STILL IN THE HUNT TO BUILD UP THEIR OWN. JUST THIS MONTH,THE BRITISH ROYAL NAVY ANNOUNCED PLANS TO DECOMMISSION TWO WARSHIPS – IN RESPONSE UKRAINE’S NAVAL COMMANDER TOLD  SKY NEWS THEY WOULD GLADLY TAKE THE SHIPS — REMEMBER THEY HAVE NO WARSHIPS OF THEIR OWN.

VICE ADM. OLEKSIY NEIZHPAPA | COMMANDER, UKRAINIAN NAVY

“The sooner the armed forces have the necessary battle capabilities and certain capabilities to destroy the enemy’s infrastructure facilities, the sooner we will win.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE UK HAS BEEN A MAJOR ALLY TO UKRAINE – OFFERING NOT JUST TRAINING BUT ALSO ADVANCED WEAPONS LIKE LONG-RANGE MISSILES AND TANKS. THEY’RE EVEN BOOSTING UKRAINE’S NAVAL CAPABILITIES BY SENDING OVER TWO SANDOWN-CLASS MINEHUNTER SHIPS, 20 VIKING AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLES, AND 23 RAIDING CRAFT.

ALL THIS SUPPORT COMES AS EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS AGREED TO A 3-YEAR, $54 BILLION SUPPORT PACKAGE FOR UKRAINE THURSDAY. PAYMENTS COULD BEGINS AS SOON AS MARCH.