Ukraine Strikes Russian Black Sea Navy Tug Using Western-Supplied Anti-Ship Rockets

Ukraine 'strikes Russian Black Sea navy tug carrying weapons to Snake Island using Western-supplied anti-ship rockets' and downs helicopter as one of Moscow's SU-25 jets crashes near border in fresh blows to Putin

WALTER FINCH FOR MAILONLINE and REUTERS

Ukraine's armed forces say they have struck a Russian navy tugboat in the Black Sea with two Harpoon missiles - the first time Kyiv has claimed to have hit a Russian vessel with the Western-supplied anti-ship rockets.

Ukraine's Armed Forces Strategic Communications Directorate published the information on the Telegram app, alongside a video purporting to show the strike from the air.

It shows what is thought to be an anti-ship missile striking the tug Vasily Bekh at 4am as it delivered soldiers, weapons, and ammunition to hotly-contested Snake Island.

Ukrainian sources later claimed ten sailors on the tug were missing presumed dead, and 23 wounded. The crew number was put at 33.

Harpoon missiles are anti-ship ballistics that were first developed by the US and now manufactured by Boeing. The US has sent Harpoon missiles to Ukraine while the UK and Denmark have said they will consider sending the ballistics. It was not immediately clear where these ballistics had come from. 

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