Ukrainian Sea Drone Wipes Out Entire Russian FSB Boat Crew Guarding Kerch Bridge

A Ukrainian naval drone strike reportedly killed the entire crew of a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) patrol boat during an operation near the Kerch Bridge on April 30.

According to the Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, which published an image of a memorial plaque listing the deceased, eight crew members of a Project PSKA-300 “Sobol” patrol boat were killed in the strike. The outlet reported that the vessel was operating as part of security efforts around the Kerch Bridge at the time of the attack.

The reported casualties include eight servicemen identified by name and rank on the plaque, indicating a complete loss of the crew assigned to the vessel. The same source noted a discrepancy in the vessel classification on the plaque, where the designation PSKA-300 was mistakenly listed as PSKR-300.

According to Ukraine’s Navy, two Russian boats were struck during the overnight operation near the Kerch Bridge. One of them was confirmed to be an FSB-operated “Sobol” patrol boat, while the second vessel was identified as a “Grachonok”-class anti-sabotage boat.

Ukrainian officials stated that both vessels were part of the maritime security perimeter protecting the bridge, which connects occupied Crimea to Russia.

The Project 12200 “Sobol” is a high-speed patrol craft developed by Russia’s Almaz Design Bureau for coastal interception and territorial water protection. The vessel is capable of reaching speeds of up to 48 knots using an interceptor-based stabilization system.

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War in Ukraine

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

May 04, 2026 10:19

It is typically armed with a 14.5 mm machine gun and can operate autonomously for up to three days. Prior to the incident, Russia was reported to operate around 11 such boats in the Black Sea and Azov Sea regions.

The Kerch Bridge, also known as the Crimean Bridge, spans the Kerch Strait and connects Russia’s Krasnodar region with the temporarily occupied Crimean Peninsula. Opened in 2018 after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, it serves as a key logistical and symbolic link, enabling the transport of military equipment, fuel, and personnel to support Russian operations in southern Ukraine. The bridge has been repeatedly targeted since 2022.

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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