That’s according to Ukrainian outlet Novoe Vremia, citing its sources in the Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU).
They said the attack was conducted on 14 September 2023, and the drone hit the rear right side of the ship, inflicting significant damage. The “Samum” allegedly had to be towed for repairs, leaning noticeably to its right side.
The sources further revealed that the drone is designed to operate in stormy conditions and evade detection behind high waves. It successfully carried out its mission when waves reached 1.5 to 2 meters.
Russian Ministry of Defense stated on 14 September 2023 that a marine drone indeed attacked the “Samum” missile ship and that the attack was allegedly repelled and the drone destroyed.
Samum is a Bora-class guided-missile corvette of the Russian Navy (Soviet designation Project 1239), one of the few types of military surface effect ships built solely for marine combat. It is one of Russia’s largest combat sea vehicles with a catamaran design.
Earlier on the morning of September 14, Ukraine’s defense forces targeted two Russian patrol ships of project type “Vasily Bykov” in the southwestern part of the Black Sea. At least one of the ships suffered damage from maritime drones.
This series of incidents continues the previous successful Ukrainian strikes on Crimea. On 13 September, Ukraine conducted a missile attack on a ship repair yard in Sevastopol and badly damaged two ships there: the Russian landing ship Minsk and submarine Rostov-on-Don.
Also, on 14 September 2023, using a combination of aerial drones and Neptune domestic missiles, Ukraine destroyed Russia’s most advanced S-400 anti-air missile system in occupied Crimea.
Costing a fraction of a battleship, Ukraine’s drones have delivered a heavy blow to Russia’s navy. Russia’s $30 billion fleet now sits idle in port, evading Ukraine’s cheap but potent unmanned naval siege:
How Ukraine’s scrappy marine drones are revolutionizing naval warfare
