After months of trying, Ukrainian forces have finally begun landing blows on the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s most powerful surviving warships.
On Sept. 9, the Ukrainians carried out a combined missile and drone strike on the Black Sea Fleet’s main anchorage in Novorossiysk, 350 miles from the front line in southern Ukraine.
The Ukrainian navy claimed one of its Long Neptune ground-launched anti-ship missiles struck the Russian missile frigate Admiral Essen with its 570-pound warhead. “The long-range Neptune finally reached the Admiral Essen,” the navy crowed.
Satellite imagery of Novorossiysk seems to indicate something hit Admiral Essen along its port superstructure, but it’s unclear it was a Long Neptune. It’s possible the damage was inflicted by a slower, lighter Fire Point one-way attack drone, instead.
