Ukrainian forces have struck and damaged Russia’s last operational rail ferry in the Black Sea, the UK ministry of defence has said.
According to the MoD’s latest intelligence update, the Slavyanin ferry was one of three rail ships able to transit the Kerch Strait between Russia and the occupied Crimean peninsula.
Following other Ukrainian strikes on 29 May, Slavyanin “had been put back into service as the only rail RO-RO [roll-on roll-off] ferry”, the MoD said.
It added that the ferry was “highly likely” transporting Russian gas to customers in the Black Sea.
“Rendering RO-RO ferries non-operational, even temporarily, imposes increased costs as well as reducing Russia’s flexibility to transport fuel, munitions and equipment across the Kerch Strait,” the ministry said.
It added that the attacks had likely forced Moscow to “change its security procedures” and risk its trains having to navigate the Kerch bridge, which Kyiv has frequently attacked since the war started.