Key facts
- Ukraine's Navy announced it struck and sank the Russian border guard patrol ship Izumrud off the coast of Novorossiysk.
- The Izumrud was hit by a Sargan-3000 sea drone.
- The ship had participated in the 2018 Kerch Strait incident where Russia seized Ukrainian vessels and sailors.
- The Ukrainian Navy stated 'Revenge is inevitable. To be continued.'
The Ukrainian Navy announced on July 14, 2026, that it had struck and sunk a Russian border guard patrol ship, the Izumrud, off the coast near Novorossiysk. The strike, carried out by a Sargan-3000 sea drone, occurred approximately 300 kilometers from the front line and resulted in casualties among the ship's crew.
The Ukrainian Navy highlighted that the Izumrud was involved in the November 25, 2018, Kerch Strait incident. During that clash, Russian forces fired upon and seized two Ukrainian gunboats and a tugboat, capturing 24 Ukrainian sailors who were later released in a prisoner exchange. The Ukrainian Navy declared, "Revenge is inevitable. To be continued."
Commissioned in 2014, the Izumrud was described as a second-rank border guard patrol ship, measuring approximately 62.5 meters in length with a displacement of 630 to 750 metric tons and a top speed of 27 knots. It was equipped with a helicopter landing pad.