The TV report opened with a drone video by Orsk, where the voice in the background told about how Ukrainian forces had left the ship in the port city of Berdyansk “without a fight” and with the facilities “completely intact”.
The ship contained weapons, and from deck the reporter told that among other things two large artillery that could now use Russian forces, according to the news channel CNN.
– The purpose of this ship is to transport troops and heavy equipment. It can carry as many as 20 tanks or 40 armored personnel carriers along with hundreds of troops, said the reporter in the Russian state-owned news channel Russia Today (RT).
The next day, Orsk exploded, and the Ukrainian military has claimed responsibility for the attack.
– SMOKER: The smoke rises after the warship Orsk exploded in Berdyansk, Ukraine. Photo: AP
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It is still unclear which weapons have been used.
Several ships destroyed
Berdyansk, located near besieged Mariupol, was recently occupied by Russian forces.
According to Ukrainian authorities, the Ukrainian military has destroyed two ships in addition to Orsk.
– A 3000 ton petrol tank was also destroyed. The fire spread to the enemy’s military storage facility. Details about whether the injuries inflicted on the occupier are being clarified, they said.
An official at the US Department of Defense has stated that the Ukrainian defense has probably carried out a successful attack on the Russian ships in Berdyansk.
The British Ministry of Defense has also stated that Ukrainian forces have attacked “high-value targets” in areas occupied by Russia, including a tanker and a military storage facility in the port city.
Occupied
Earlier, Russian authorities informed that Orsk was the first warship to dock in Berdyansk, and that it was carrying various equipment and weapons.
– The ships in this project are very spacious and can take on board large amounts of equipment, they said.
Russian authorities have not yet commented publicly on the blast.
The first Russian troops occupied the port city on February 27, three days after the invasion of Ukraine began. The city then had a population of around 100,000, and is located 70 kilometers southwest of Mariupol.
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