“On August 17 at 22:55, the Armed Forces of Ukraine unsuccessfully attacked ships of the Black Sea Fleet on a maritime control mission in the south-west of the Black Sea” – radio station. rt cited a statement from the Russian military.
Russian Black Sea Fleet ship Vasily Bykov – Photo: Sputnik
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the attack was carried out through a drone. Fire from the patrol frigate Pytlivy and the patrol boat Vasily Bykov shot down the device before it reached its target.
According to the Russian side, the airstrike on the night of August 17 was the second time this month that Ukraine tried to sink Vasily Bykov.
On 1 August, three other drones attacked a patrol boat and its companion ship, the Sergei Kotov, in the Black Sea, but were also shot down by artillery from the ships.
In another development, the US has approved sending F-16 fighter jets from Denmark and the Netherlands to Ukraine, according to the report. reuters Reported on the evening of August 17 (US time).
US-made F-16 aircraft – Photo: AP
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken sent a letter to his Danish and Dutch counterparts formally assuring the two countries of speedy approval of requests for the transfer of the F-16s once the pilots are trained.
Blinken said, “It is important that Ukraine can defend itself.” He added that the decision would help Ukraine “make the most of its new capabilities as soon as the first group of pilots completes the training course.”
Earlier, US President Joe Biden had approved the training program for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 in May this year. Training takes place in Denmark and Romania.
NATO members Denmark and the Netherlands have led international efforts to train pilots, support forces, maintain aircraft and help Ukraine acquire US-made F-16 fighter jets.
rt The incident was also reported on, citing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s June statement that the F-16s would “burn up” like tanks supplied by Western countries to Kiev.
