Russian Defense Ministry reports destroying 3 Ukrainian speedboats with landing groups headed towards Crimea

Russia’s Defense Ministry reports having destroyed three Ukrainian speedboats headed towards Crimea on the night of September 10. According to the ministry’s statement, the boats carried landing groups of Ukrainian armed forces.

The Sea Force rigid inflatable boats mentioned in the ministry’s report are produced by the U.S. company Willard Marine, and were originally designed for the U.S. Navy. Three of them were reportedly destroyed by the naval aviation of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, in a part of the Black Sea southwest of Snake Island.

According to the ministry, the Russian armed forces also destroyed eight Ukrainian combat drones launched overnight over the Black Sea towards the annexed Crimean Peninsula.

On September 4, Russia also reported destroying four Ukrainian speedboats with landing groups in the area near Snake Island. On August 30, it claimed having destroyed four similar boats. Another Ukrainian boat was reported destroyed on August 22.