Russia silent on alleged attack on Ceasar Kunikov large landing ship

The Kremlin refused to comment reports about an attack on a Russian warship in the Black Sea that allegedly took place on February 14.

Kremlin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov redirected the question about the warship to the Russian Defence Ministry.

Any comments related to the special military operation are a prerogative of the defence department, he said.

On Feb. 14, Ukrainian media reported that surface drones allegedly attacked Russia's large landing ship Caesar Kunikov in the Black Sea. Representatives for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that Ukrainian intelligence destroyed the Russian warship off the city of Alupka.

It is believed that there could be up to 87 people on board the Caesar Kunikov.

There were no official comments from the Russian Defense Ministry regarding the alleged attack.

• The Caesar Kunikov is a large landing ship of Project 775, serving as part of the Black Sea Fleet. In addition to landing troops, she can be used to deliver cargo for various purposes, lay minefields and conduct humanitarian operations. The landing ship is also used for military transport, supplying ships and fleet units at dispersed deployment points. The Caesar Kunikov can accommodate up to 87 crew members on board.
• The ship was named after Hero of the Soviet Union Caesar Kunikov. He received the title of Hero for the capture of the Malaya Zemlya bridgehead in Novorossiysk in 1943, the battle for which lasted 225 days.
• The Caesar Kunikov was used in the military conflict in Georgia in 2008. On August 10, she was the flagship of a group of Russian ships that took part in a naval battle with the Georgian Navy. In addition, she was part of Operation KFOR (Kosovo Force) in Kosovo in 1999.
• Russia also used Caesar Kunikov to supply weapons to Syria. In 2015, the Caesar Kunikov participated in an operation to deliver ammunition to the Syrian government army, which was fighting fierce battles with Islamic groups.