Russian Strike Results in Ukrainian Naval Casualties
On August 29, 2025, two Ukrainian sailors have been confirmed dead following a Russian strike on the naval vessel “Simferopol” in the Danube estuary, reports 24brussels.
Military spokesperson Dmytro Pletenchuk announced during a telethon that search and rescue operations are ongoing. “Unfortunately, we have confirmed the second fatality. Efforts continue to locate all missing personnel, as several remain unaccounted for. Additionally, several service members sustained injuries, but the majority of the crew has remained safe since yesterday,” he stated.
Pletenchuk remarked that he could neither confirm nor deny the Russian Ministry of Defense’s claim that the vessel has sunk, emphasizing that all resources are currently focused on rescuing the sailors’ lives. “At this time, I cannot validate this information. We are prioritizing rescue operations, so we cannot provide further details,” he added.
Earlier in the morning, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have struck the Ukrainian navy vessel “Simferopol” in the Danube estuary, asserting that the ship had reportedly sunk. The Ukrainian Navy subsequently confirmed the damage to the ship and the death of one sailor.
The “Simferopol,” a medium reconnaissance vessel of the Ukrainian Navy, was launched on April 23, 2019, at the “Kuznya on the Rybalsky” shipyard. According to the vessel’s specifications, it is designed to accommodate a crew of 29 personnel.
