Overview

• Ukraine confirmed its SIGINT ship Simferopol was struck in the Danube estuary near the Odesa region, with operations reported close to the Romanian border.
• One crew member was confirmed dead and several sailors were injured or missing, and Ukrainian authorities said search-and-rescue efforts continue.
• Russia’s Defense Ministry said a naval unmanned surface vessel carried out the attack and characterized it as its first successful use of such a drone to destroy a Ukrainian vessel.
• Video circulated by Russian state media shows a drone hitting the ship and a large explosion, though independent verification of the footage remains limited.
• Naval analysts describe the attack as a doctrinal shift that extends Russian strike reach into riverine areas, as the incident coincided with a large overnight drone-and-missile barrage on Kyiv that caused significant casualties and damage.