Towing of Damaged Russian Ship Spotted in Novorossiysk After Ukrainian Strikes

OSINT researcher Tom Byke has released satellite images of the port of Novorossiysk, capturing a damaged ship being towed by two tugboats.

According to Byke, the vessel is a large Project 1171 landing ship being sent for repairs following a Ukrainian attack on the port.

He notes that the maneuvering and use of two tugboats indicate significant damage.

Satellite monitoring data aligns with earlier reports from Ukrainian sources about the aftermath of the strike on Russian military infrastructure in the area.

Earlier, the Babel media outlet, citing sources in the Security Service of Ukraine, reported that the ship was damaged during a Ukrainian UAV attack on Russian Novorossiysk.

It is worth noting, however, that Russian forces frequently reposition ships within ports to reduce vulnerability.

Project 1171 ships are designed for amphibious assaults on unprepared coasts and for transporting troops and cargo by sea.

They can carry various types of armored vehicles, including tanks.

In 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed the large Project 1171 landing ship Saratov in the port of occupied Berdyansk.

According to Militarnyi’s information, the remaining Project 1171 landing ships in the Black Sea were Orsk and Nikolai Filchenkov.