War in Ukraine: Eight Russian FSB agents killed in Ukrainian naval drone attack

A fatal strike. A Ukrainian naval drone targeted a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) PSKA-300 “Sobol” patrol boat near the Kerch Bridge on Thursday (April 30), resulting in the death of all eight crew members on board.

The Telegram channel VChK-OGPU, known for its coverage of military events and its investigations, certified the death of the eight sailors from the PSKA-300 patrol boat “Sobol” by broadcasting a photo of a commemorative plaque, reports United24. At the time of the attack, the ship was engaged in securing the Kerch Bridge.

According to the Ukrainian navy, two Russian ships were hit during this night operation. One of them was confirmed to be a “Sobol” patrol boat operated by the FSB, while the second was identified as a “Grachonok” class anti-sabotage boat.

The “Sobol” fast patrol boat, developed by the Russian design office Almaz, is a boat designed for coastal interception and the protection of territorial waters. This ship, capable of reaching 48 knots (around 90 km/h), has a mission endurance of three days and is usually equipped with a 14.5 mm machine gun. Prior to this incident, Russia operated approximately eleven of these vessels in the Black Sea and Sea of ​​Azov.

Two Russian tankers attacked on the same day

The Kerch Bridge, also known as the Crimean Bridge, spans the Kerch Strait and connects Russia’s Krasnodar region with the temporarily occupied Crimean Peninsula. Opened in 2018 following Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea, it provides a key logistical and symbolic link, enabling the transport of military equipment, fuel and personnel to support Russian operations in southern Ukraine. The bridge has been targeted numerous times since 2022.

The same day, Ukrainian forces carried out an attack on two Russian “ghost fleet” tankers near the port of Novorossiysk. According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, these ships which were carrying Russian oil were put out of harm’s way. This operation is part of Ukraine’s strategy to disrupt maritime logistics and reduce Russia’s energy revenues in the Black Sea.