On May 23, 2023, a Russian intelligence ship
in the Black Sea encountered three Ukrainian Unmanned surface vehicles.
The first account of the story, captured by a camera aboard the vessel,
reveals a heart-stopping chase between the Russians and the three USVs, ending with
the vessel retaliating with no hesitation, seemingly destroying the incoming threat.
It appeared to be a resounding victory. But just as the truth seemed within reach, a day later,
a second video emerged, challenging the Russian claims of total neutralization.
In fact, the second video alludes to the fact that Ukraine might have
actually sunk the Russian Navy intelligence ship.
Since the release of the footage, conflicting narratives clashed,
puzzling experts, open intelligence, and civilians alike, all questioning what truly
transpired on those waters, especially as the ship hasn’t been seen since.
Explosive Encounter
The May 23, 2023 scene opens with a sense of tension as three Ukrainian
unmanned surface vessels, USVs, menacingly advance in the water toward their target:
the Russian intelligence ship Ivan Khurs.
Released by the MoD’s esteemed Zvezdanews outlet,
the video shows only the very last seconds of the chase, and with split-second precision,
the Russian ship takes aim, unleashing its wrath upon the approaching threat.
In seconds, a deck-mounted machine gun, possibly a 14.5-millimeter gun,
comes alive, sending a barrage of rounds toward the nearest USV.
The tracer rounds dart through the air, narrowly missing their target, before one finds its mark,
striking the bow of the vessel. As a result, the USV erupts into a fireball,
consumed by a ferocious explosion reverberating through the sea with a grey cloud of smoke.
Russia's Defense Ministry wasted no time in asserting its stance,
declaring the failure of the Ukrainian onslaught. In a resolute statement,
they confirmed that all the enemy's boats had been neutralized, with the Russian warship
steadfastly standing its ground about 90 miles northeast of the Bosphorus Strait.
But the story would soon change.
Contradicting The Narrative
One day after Russia's chilling video, a new narrative emerged.
Amidst the sea of conflicting reports,
Ukrainian sources unveiled a video from a different angle allegedly capturing the
other side of the attempted drone boat attack on the Russian intelligence ship Ivan Khurs.
The short yet compelling footage offers a glimpse into the dramatic confrontation,
contradicting the Russian claims of complete neutralization.
The newly surfaced video, with the same general lighting and other similar components,
unveils tracer fire dancing all across the waves, originating from the Russian ship.
The unmanned surface vessel fearlessly closes in on its target, closing to mere feet from
the left-hand side of the stern before the video abruptly ends. There is no evidence of
a detonation, as the camera is fitted on top of the kamikaze boat and would’ve exploded as well.
This incident's outcome remains uncertain, leaving the possibility of an explosive payload meeting
its mark. As such, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has actively shared this clip on its
social media platforms, adding to the supposed evidence that contradicts the Russian account.
Armed And Ready
The Ivan Khurs, a remarkable vessel of the Yury Ivanov class,
stands as a prized asset within the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
According to official information, Ivan Khurs’ main mission objective
is ensuring the security and stability of the Turkish Stream and Blue Stream,
the natural gas pipeline running from Russia to Turkey.
Commissioned in 2018, Ivan Khurs epitomizes modern naval capabilities,
boasting a crew of 120 dedicated sailors and a displacement exceeding 4,000 tons,
and a cruising range of no less than 8,000 miles.
As a signals intelligence powerhouse,
Ivan Khurs plays a pivotal role in communication relay and data collection for later analysis.
It is equipped with an array of advanced radio reconnaissance, electronic warfare complexes,
and communication systems that facilitate effective fleet management.
While the ship's precise anti-missile defense system remains undisclosed, a notable feature is
the presence of four marine pedestal mounts, each fitted with a 14.5-millimeter KPVT machine gun.
Furthermore, the Ivan Khurs reportedly houses six 9K38 Igla surface-to-air
missile launchers armed with 32 9M39 missiles. This air defense system acts
as a deterrent against fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, fortifying the ship's protection.
Notably, footage captured from the perspective of the Ukrainian uncrewed surface vehicle
showcases one of the Igla launchers, seemingly unmanned during the attack.
The Ivan Khurs remains an enigmatic vessel,
shrouded in secrecy regarding its full capabilities and technological composition.
Misinformation
This strike on the Ivan Khurs, though not the first of its kind,
unveils a recurrent theme in Ukrainian tactics, employing kamikaze-style uncrewed surface vessels.
A prior attack utilizing similar means occurred during the ongoing Russian Invasion of Ukraine,
targeting anchored Russian Navy vessels in the harbor of Sevastopol.
The veracity of the two videos of the incident in the Black
Sea remains uncertain and shrouded in mystery.
Nevertheless, the presence of distinct perspectives, coupled with the official
account from the Russian Ministry of Defense and the unofficial one from Ukraine,
lends some weight to the notion that an attack on the Ivan Khurs was, at the very least, attempted.
The claimed location of the attack, approximately 200 miles from the nearest unoccupied Ukrainian
coastline, according to the Russian account, suggests the possibility of Ukraine employing
unmanned surface vehicles with a much greater range than previously anticipated.
Another hypothesis online onlookers have pondered is that Ukraine utilized
a mothership from which to launch the drones at a standoff distance. However,
such an operation would be complex, fraught with additional risks and logistical challenges.
Some wonder about the possibility that the incident was actually a false flag
orchestrated by Russia within Turkey's Exclusive Economic Zone to portray
Ukraine as the aggressor to expand the conflict into NATO-controlled zones.
However, the emergence of the Ukrainian video seems to contradict this notion.
Unveiling The Mystery
Questions persist regarding the extent of the damage caused by the USV attack.
Previous similar raids on the Black Sea Fleet have resulted in minimal damage.
Nevertheless, the video footage suggests that one of the USVs managed to approach the
Russian vessel at close proximity, implying that even if it was destroyed by gunfire,
it would likely have had some residual impact on the Ivan Khurs.
While the official Russian account maintains that all three drones were
destroyed and the ship emerged unscathed, the Ukrainian state broadcaster, Suspilne,
reported on May 25 that the Ivan Khurs did sustain damage as a result of the attack.
According to their sources within military circles, the hull and unspecified equipment
were affected, necessitating repairs, and there were reports of injuries to some crew members.
However, these claims have not been independently corroborated.
Furthermore, mounting evidence suggests Ukraine's involvement in the drone attack, as indicated
by the official claim of responsibility from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. The ministry shared
the same 15-second video on its official social media accounts, adding the statement: [QUOTE]:
"When the Russian reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs met a Ukrainian drone. Indeed, a perfect match!"
On May 26, Russia released a photo claiming to show Ivan Khurs returning to the Sevastopol base,
and, throughout the day, citizens also released a video to their
social media accounts of the ship in the water, with seemingly no damage.
However, a social media user noticed that one of the videos posted as proof
of the soundness of the intelligence vessel had actually been previously
uploaded to social media in 2021, in a long clip of the ship transiting
moving through the Bosphorus Strait, with the Turkish capital of Istanbul in the background.
As competing narratives continue to unfold, the truth behind the events
surrounding the May 2023 clash in the Black Sea becomes increasingly elusive.
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