Weekly megathread for news/updates/discussion of Russian invasion of Ukraine - October 27

Ukraine Unleashes Mass Kamikaze Drone Boat Attack On Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Headquarters (TheDrive's TheWarzone)

The largest city in Crimea and the home of Russia's Black Sea Fleet woke up to heavy explosions and anti-aircraft fire during an attack Russian officials say included aerial drones and especially unmanned surface vessels (USV), both of which were 'suicide' or 'kamikaze' types mean to explode when they arrive at their targets.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have since released incredible footage purportedly from aboard several unmanned surface vessels used in the attack. The video shows the purported attack run on a guided missile frigate and Russian forces engaging the USVs with machine-gun fire.

The USVs appear to be of the same design as the mystery drone boat found near Sevastopol in September.

Russian officials claimed that only one vessel was slightly damaged while all Ukrainian aerial drones were destroyed and that "British specialists" were involved, without offering any proof. Russian-installed officials in occupied Crimea call it "the most massive since the beginning of the special operation."

The low-light footage clearly shows a Project 11356R Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate — one of Russia's most modern and powerful warships — underway, as well as Sevastopol harbor. There are reports that the Admiral Makarov, reportedly the Black Sea Fleet's new flagship after the Project 1164 Slava-class cruiser Moskva sank in April, was damaged in the attack. At this time, The War Zone cannot independently confirm reports about damage to the Admiral Makarov, though the low-light footage from the USV appears to show it getting very close to the missile frigate before cutting to other video of the harbor and an explosion on CCTV.

Ukrainian officials previously claimed in May that the Admiral Makarov sank like the Moskva after being hit by Ukrainian anti-ship missiles, though this was later debunked.

Another video released appears to corroborate separate footage that showed a Russian Mi-8'Hip' helicopter engaging a target off the coast. The USV is moving pretty quickly through the waves and heavy machine-gun fire, at one point only barely missing a small harbor patrol boat before a distant CCTV camera shows its likely demise out at sea.

Video from Sevastopol showed several explosions both in the water and near the port itself, and the Russian Ministry of Defense has since confirmed the minesweeper Ivan Golubets, a Black Sea Fleet Project 266M Natya-class, was damaged.

Check the actual article out though, it has photos and footage from the drones interspersed throughout.

Ukraine war: Power and water supply hit across Ukraine in 'massive' Russian missile strikes (BBC)

Ukraine says power and water supplies across the country have been badly hit after Russia launched more than 50 missiles targeting critical facilities.

In the capital Kyiv, 80% of residents were without water, and about 350,000 apartments had no electricity, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said.

In the north-eastern city of Kharkiv, energy facilities were struck. Across Ukraine, 13 people were injured.

Russia said it targeted Ukraine's military command and energy systems.

The country's defence ministry added that all "designated objects were hit" by long-range high-precision weaponry.

Ukraine's military said its air defences had shot down 44 cruise missiles launched from the area of Russia's Rostov region and the Caspian Sea.

The strikes come after Russia blamed Ukraine for a drone attack on its Black Sea Fleet in the annexed Crimea.

Russia’s Kherson Pontoon Bridge Attacked (The Drive, October 21)

Video evidence of the scene appears to show that Ukraine targeted, at least in part, the makeshift pontoon bridge Russia had just completed and is seen as essential for both resupply and potential retreat of Russian forces in Kherson. The pontoon bridge, made of a series of barges, sits right beside the Antonovsky bridge that has been unusable for months due to repeated precision rocket attacks.

Banking tycoon renounces citizenship of ‘fascist’ Russia over Ukraine war
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/banking-tycoon-renounces-citizenship-of-fascist-russia-over-ukraine-war/ar-AA13BpVZ

Russian banking tycoon Oleg Tinkov renounced his Russian citizenship in a public rebuke of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, saying he “can’t and won’t be associated with a fascist country.”

He added Tuesday that he plans to revoke his name from Tinkoff Bank, the Russian commercial bank he founded in 2006, writing: “I hate when my brand/name is associated with the bank that collaborates with killers and blood.”

The businessman announced he had ended his citizenship in an Instagram post on Monday, sharing an image of the official document certifying his renunciation, which was dated Oct. 26. “I hope more prominent Russian businessmen will follow me, so it weakens Putin’s regime and his economy,” he said, adding: “I hate Putin’s Russia, but love all Russians, who are clearly against this crazy war!”

That post was later deleted, with Tinkov saying Tuesday it had “mysteriously disappeared” and speculating that it could have been the work of “Kremlin trolls.”

Ukraine war: Grain deal continues despite Russia pull-out (BBC)

Three more vessels left Ukrainian ports on Tuesday, the UN-led centre co-ordinating the Black Sea grain export deal says, despite a Russian decision to suspend its backing of the scheme.

The centre says the ships' movement has been agreed by Ukraine, Turkey and the UN, while Russia "has been informed".

On Monday, 12 ships carrying 354,500 tonnes of food sailed from Ukraine.

The Istanbul-based co-ordinating centre is yet to provide details about the cargo on board the three vessels that left Ukraine on Tuesday.

Russia has not publicly commented on the issue.

Monday's cargoes constituted a record daily volume of exports since the grain deal began, said a spokesperson for Odesa's military administration quoted by Reuters.

One of the vessels carrying 40,000 tonnes of grain was destined for Ethiopia, where "the real possibility of mass starvation" existed, the ministry added.