Ukrainian Navy strikes Russian tugboat “Vasily Beh” with two missiles

The Ukrainian Defense Forces hit a Russian tugboat transporting weapons and ammunition to occupied Snake Island.

This was reported by the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The boat was carrying the TOR anti-aircraft missile system designed for air and missile defense missions.

“The Vasily Beh tugboat of the Black Sea Fleet was struck in the Black Sea while transporting the Fleet’s ammunition, weapons, and personnel to the island.

Even the TOR anti-aircraft missile system on board did not stop the Ukrainian Naval Forces from demilitarizing the Russian invaders,” the Ukrainian Navy stated.

The Russian tugboat was hit by two missiles. This may be the first instance of the Ukrainian Naval Forces using Harpoon anti-ship missiles against the Russian invaders in the Black Sea.

Reference: the Vasily Beh tugboat was built at the shipyard in Astrakhan. It had a displacement of 1,605 tons and was commissioned in 2017 to serve the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation.

Its crew consists of 26 sailors. It also has 36 seats on board for additional personnel or rescued individuals.

Recently, Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov said that Ukraine has already strengthened its own coastal defense with Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

Armaments to protect the Ukrainian coast from Russian invaders, were supplied to Ukraine by foreign partners to support its defense against the aggressor.

Ukraine will receive two more coastal Harpoon missile systems from the United States. The systems will have a new type of launchers not used by the United States.