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KYIV, Ukraine (AP) \u2014 Ukraine claimed Tuesday it has sunk another Russian warship in the Black Sea<\/a> using high-tech sea drones as Kyiv\u2019s forces continue to take aim at targets deep behind the war\u2019s front line. Russian authorities did not confirm the claim.<\/p>\n The Ukrainian military intelligence agency said a special operations unit destroyed the large patrol ship Sergey Kotov overnight with Magura V5 uncrewed vessels that are designed and built in Ukraine and laden with explosives. The patrol ship, which Ukraine said was hit near the Kerch Strait<\/a>, reportedly can carry cruise missiles and around 60 crew.<\/p>\n The Ukrainian claim could not immediately be independently verified, and disinformation has been a feature of the fighting that broke out after Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.<\/p>\n Kyiv’s forces are struggling to keep the better-provisioned Russian army<\/a> at bay at some points along the largely static 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line, but are also taking aim at targets deep beyond the battlefield.<\/p>\n Last month, Ukraine claimed it twice sank Russian warships using drones. On Feb. 1, it claimed to have sunk the Russian missile-armed corvette<\/a> Ivanovets, and on Feb. 14 it said it destroyed the Caesar Kunikov landing ship. Russian officials did not confirm those claims.<\/p>\n Kyiv officials say some 20% of Russian missile attacks on Ukraine are launched from the Black Sea, and hitting Russian ships there is embarrassing for Moscow.<\/p>\n Almost a year ago, the flagship of Russia\u2019s Black Sea fleet, the Moskva guided-missile cruiser<\/a>, sank after it was heavily damaged in a missile attack.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n Follow AP\u2019s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/russia-ukraine<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n