Russia says it hit Ukrainian warship near Odesa, downed two bombers

Sputnik/Ekaterina Shtukina/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
File Photo : Russian Navy’s Tarantul-class corvettes Ivanovets and Naberezhnye Chelny sail during the Navy Day parade in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol, Crimea July 28, 2019.

Russia’s defense ministry said on Sunday it had destroyed a Ukrainian navy ship near Odesa with a missile strike overnight.

The ministry said its missiles had hit a ‘Project 1241’ corvette, a class of Soviet missile corvettes with a NATO reporting name of Tarantul.

Russia’s air defenses also shot down two Ukrainian SU-24 bombers and a Mi-24 helicopter over the Snake island in the Black Sea at night, the ministry said in a statement.

It said a total of four Ukrainian warplanes, four helicopters and an assault boat had been destroyed over the past 24 hours.

Reuters could not independently verify the report and there was no immediate comment from Ukraine.