They wanted to hit the military radar: British intelligence analyzes Russian attack on a ship in Odesa region

Russian troops were probably targeting Ukrainian military radar in Odesa region when they ended up hitting a civilian ship that was entering the port under the Liberian flag at the time of the attack. This may indicate poor weapons tactics on the part of the pilot of the Russian plane that launched the missile.

This conclusion was reached by the UK military intelligence. The agency's report, released on November 10, states that a cargo ship, probably the Kmax Ruler, was hit by a Russian anti-radar missile in the Pivdenny seaport.

Ukraine said that it was most likely an X-31 air-launched missile (NATO classification AS-17 Krypton).

The port pilot was killed, three crew members and a port worker were injured. Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov said that the ship was loading iron ore destined for China, which is strategically important for Russia.

The AS-17 was probably used to hit Ukrainian military radars in the area, British intelligence said.

"It is possible that the AS-17 missile was launched from the air without an active radar signature detected on the radar of a civilian ship. If so, this demonstrates poor weaponry tactics on the part of the Russian pilot," the report said.

As reported by OBOZ.UA:

- On the evening of November 8, Russia fired a missile at a foreign ship that was entering a port in Odesa region. The Pivden Command said that the missile hit the ship's superstructure, and that there were reports of dead and wounded.

- The pilot who died as a result of the shelling had Ukrainian citizenship and was an employee of the Seaport Administration, said Natalia Gumenyuk, a spokeswoman for the Southern Defense Forces. According to her, the missile landed almost at the captain's bridge, where the Ukrainian was at the time of the attack.

Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!