+1 russian ship was upgraded to a submarine.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine, together with the units of the @DI_Ukraine, destroyed the Caesar Kunikov large landing ship.
At the time of the attack, the ship was in the territorial waters of Ukraine, near Alupka.

Black Sea fish… pic.twitter.com/BTyVRibUUl

— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) February 14, 2024

Ukraine Claims to Have Sunk Russian Ship in Black Sea

The Ukrainian military has announced that it sank a large Russian landing ship in the Black Sea near occupied Crimea. The ship, named Caesar Kunikov, was reportedly attacked by Ukrainian maritime strike drones and sunk 2.5 miles off the coast of Alupka. The Russian government has not yet confirmed the incident.

Ukraine’s Defense Ministry Statement

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry released a statement on Twitter, saying, “The Armed Forces of Ukraine, together with the units of the defense intelligence, destroyed the Caesar Kunikov large landing ship. At the time of the attack, the ship was in the territorial waters of Ukraine, near Alupka.”

It is unclear how many crew members were on board the ship, which has the capacity to carry 87. The Kremlin has declined to comment, stating that it is a matter for the Defense Ministry.

Intercepted Russian Communications

Ukraine’s military intelligence claims to have intercepted Russian radio communications from the location of the ship. In one conversation, a Russian soldier allegedly stated that only “wreckage and an oily stain” remained of the vessel.

Context of the Incident

This incident comes as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine approaches its second anniversary. Ukraine has previously used naval drones to drive Russian warships out of parts of the Black Sea, opening a shipping corridor for its grain exports.

According to Ukrainian authorities, grain exports are now at prewar levels. The reports of the sinking of the Caesar Kunikov add to the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia in the region.

Reporting from Moscow, NPR’s Charles Maynes contributed to this article.

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More than 100 people have been killed and over 210 injured in two explosions in southeastern Iran, according to Iran’s state media. The blasts, which occurred in the city of Kerman, were described as a “terrorist attack” by Iranian officials. The explosions took place during a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the assassination of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, a prominent Iranian military leader.

Details of the Attack

The explosions occurred 10 minutes apart near the tomb of Gen. Soleimani in Kerman. The specific cause of the explosions is still unknown, and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has vowed to identify and punish those responsible for the “cowardly act.”

Commemorating Soleimani’s Death

The incident took place at the Kerman Martyrs Cemetery, where thousands of people were gathered to observe the fourth anniversary of Gen. Soleimani’s martyrdom. Soleimani, who headed the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad, Iraq, in January 2020.

Despite the tragic events, Iranian authorities are determined to bring justice to the victims and ensure the safety of their citizens. The capable security and law enforcement forces are working diligently to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous act.

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Smoke rises from a destroyed apartment following a large explosion in a southern suburb of Beirut on Tuesday. The TV station of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group says top Hamas official Saleh Arouri was killed Tuesday in an explosion in a southern Beirut suburb.

A senior official of the Palestinian militant group Hamas has been killed in what it believes to be an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon’s capital of Beirut, according to Hamas media networks. Saleh Arouri was one of the founders of Hamas’ military wing and a deputy chief of the group’s political bureau. Israel has not taken responsibility for the attack, but if later confirmed, it would be the country’s first assassination of a top Hamas official since the start of the war in Gaza in October.

Last night in Beirut, Lebanon, Saleh Al-Arouri, the right hand man to the leader of Hamas, was executed by the IDF along with 2 other top Hamas members. pic.twitter.com/xRtDGlcZLc

— Documenting Israel (@DocumentIsrael) January 3, 2024

Israel’s Alleged Involvement

Hamas’ Al-Aqsa TV channel announced the killing Tuesday in what it called a “Zionist strike.” Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said an alleged Israeli drone strike caused an explosion in one of Beirut’s southern suburbs, killing four people. Israeli leaders vowed after Hamas’ deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel that they would assassinate leaders of the organization in any country they found them. Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah militia, backed by Iran, said if Israel did kill Hamas leaders, it would retaliate. Hezbollah and Israel have so far been attacking each other near the Israel-Lebanon border since the war in Gaza began. Other militant Palestinian factions said they would respond with full force to Tuesday’s reported assassination of Arouri.

Arouri’s Background and Role

Arouri had been jailed by Israel and was deported to Turkey after being released in 2010. In Beirut, he served as a liaison between Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as with Turkey and other countries. Arouri was also involved in reconciliation efforts between Hamas and the rival Palestinian political party Fatah.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Tuesday’s blast was sure to drag Lebanon into a new phase of conflict. “This explosion undoubtedly aims to implicate Lebanon, serving as a clear response to our efforts to keep the specter of the ongoing war in Gaza away from Lebanon,” the National News Agency quoted Mikati as saying.

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