Ukrainian Drone Strike Eliminates 9 Russian Troops on Patrol Boat Near Kerch Bridge

A Russian anti-sabotage patrol boat of the Project 21980 “Grachonok” class was struck by Ukrainian naval drones overnight on April 30, reportedly eliminated nine crew members and injuring two others near the Kerch Bridge in occupied Crimea.

According to the OSINT project KiberBoroshno on May 4, the casualties followed a strike on the vessel during a coordinated drone attack targeting Russian maritime assets guarding the bridge area.

The reported number of casualties exceeds the standard crew size of six for a “Grachonok”-class boat, suggesting additional personnel—potentially divers or extra armed crew—may have been on board at the time of the strike.

The same attack is also reported to have damaged a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) patrol boat of the Project 12200 “Sobol” class, which operates alongside naval units in coastal security roles. Both vessels were deployed to protect the Kerch Bridge, a key logistics link between Russia and occupied Crimea.

Project 21980 “Grachonok” boats are designed for anti-sabotage missions, including the protection of naval bases and critical maritime infrastructure. They are equipped with hydroacoustic systems such as “Kalmar” and “Anapa” for underwater surveillance and diver detection. Their armament typically includes a 14.5 mm machine gun mount, DP-65A and DP-64 anti-diver grenade launchers, and portable air defense systems like Igla or Verba.

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War in Ukraine

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Apr 30, 2026 11:02

Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is estimated to operate several “Grachonok”-class boats, with additional units assigned to the FSB Border Service in the southern region.

The Project 12200 “Sobol” patrol boats, developed for high-speed interception and coastal patrol missions, can reach speeds of up to 48 knots and remain operational at sea for up to three days. These vessels are also armed with heavy machine guns and are used to enforce maritime security in the Black Sea and Azov regions.

Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Forces and the Security Service of Ukraine struck two Russian shadow fleet oil tankers near the port of Novorossiysk. According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the vessels were used to transport Russian oil. The operation targeted ships near a key Black Sea export hub as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt Russia’s maritime logistics and energy revenues.

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