Ukraine destroys large Russian landing ship off Crimean coast

Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Ukraine's military said Wednesday it has destroyed a large Russian landing ship in waters off the coast of occupied Crimea.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine identified the ship in a statement as the Caesar Kunikov, which can hold about 87 crew members. It said the ship was located in the Black Sea off the coast of the Russian-occupied resort city of Alupka.

Ukraine's Ministry of Defense also confirmed the attack, stating on X that one Russian ship had been "upgraded to a submarine."

"The Armed Forces of Ukraine, together with units of the [Defense Intelligence of Ukraine], destroyed the Caesar Kunikov large landing ship," it said in a statement.

"Black Sea fish will definitely like Caesar salad."

Defense Intelligence of Ukraine has since published a dramatically edited video seemingly of the attack.

Anton Gerashchenko, current advisor and former deputy minister at the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, said the video shows how Group 13 of the Main Department of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine destroyed the Caesar Kunikov with the use of Maura V5 naval attack drones.

"Caesar Kunikov was used by Russia in the wars against Georgia, Syria and Ukraine," he said on X. "Symbolically, the Soviet officer after whom the ship was named was killed on this exact day 81 years ago."

Ukraine's intelligence department added in a separate statement on Telegram that the attack created "critical holes" to the left ship of the ship, which caused it to sink.

The attack follows Ukraine striking the Russian landing ship Novocherkassk off the coast of Crimea in late December.