Ukraine’s spy network reported on Monday that it successfully damaged a Russian minesweeping vessel in Russia’s Kaliningrad region, rendering it inoperable. The operation targeted the Alexander Obukhov, an Alexandrit-class minesweeper, in what was described as a sabotage mission.
Details of the Sabotage
The Ukrainian intelligence agency did not provide specifics on how the operation was conducted but stated that water entered the ship’s engine through “a mysterious hole” in a gas pipe. The vessel was based in the city of Baltiysk and was preparing to go on combat duty when the damage occurred.
“The ship was seriously damaged,” Ukraine’s intelligence agency posted on Telegram, without elaborating on the exact method used in the sabotage.
Russia’s Lack of Response
As of Monday, there was no immediate comment from Russian officials regarding the incident. The damaged ship was located in Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave more than 300 km northwest of Ukraine. Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and incidents of sabotage have increased since then.
According to the GUR (Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate), the Alexander Obukhov is undergoing significant repairs as a result of the damage. This is the second reported sabotage of a Russian warship in the Baltic Sea this year. In April, the GUR and a pro-Kyiv Russian military group claimed responsibility for an arson attack on another Russian warship in the region.
