The Vsevolod Bobrov, one of Russia’s newest ships, sustained significant damage after being struck near Snake Island.

A Russian logistics ship, the Vsevolod Bobrov, has been severely damaged after a Ukrainian strike in the Black Sea, forcing the vessel to return to port, according to a Ukrainian official. The incident occurred off the coast of Snake Island, a strategic outcrop previously captured by Russia. The ship, described as one of the newest in the Russian fleet, was reportedly left “limping” back to Sevastopol, a major Russian naval base in Crimea.

Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesman for the Odesa Regional Military Administration, confirmed that the Ukrainian Navy had carried out the strike, causing the fire on the ship. He added that the information was still being verified, and further details were awaited. The Vsevolod Bobrov had only recently joined the Russian fleet, arriving at Sevastopol on 17 February, just before the invasion of Ukraine began.

Snake Island, located near Ukraine’s border with Romania, has been the site of intense conflict, with Ukraine targeting Russian air defences and resupply vessels in the region to weaken Moscow’s control over the coastline. This follows the destruction of the Russian warship Moskva in the Black Sea last month, a significant setback for Russia’s naval operations.

In addition to the attack on the Vsevolod Bobrov, Ukraine continues to face challenges in the south. Firefighters in Odesa battled blazes into the early hours of Tuesday after seven Russian missiles struck a shopping centre and a depot. The attack resulted in one fatality and five injuries, as confirmed by Ukraine’s armed forces.