Ukraine destroys Putin’s parade boat with laser-guided bomb

The Raptor-class patrol vessel was targeted by a laser-guided bomb dropped from a Ukraine-operated Bayraktar TB2 drone near Snake Island in the Black Sea on 8 May, the Ukrainian ministry of defence said.

A footage captured moment the Raptor-class patrol boat was hit and went up in flames near Snake Island in the Black Sea, as it tried to deliver supplies to troops stationed there.

Putin has used boats with the 001 designation for fleet inspections in Sevastopol and St Petersburg.

Ukraine Now Telegram channel reported: “We received information that one of the destroyed boats of the Raptor type in the Snake Island area was Putin’s parade boat.”

The Russian leader’s vessel is a “specially equipped parade boat with tail number 001,” said the report.

“On board, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has hosted military parades in St. Petersburg and Sevastopol several times.”

The vessel was hit by a laser-guided bomb dropped from a Bayraktar TB2 drone near the island, which is about 80 miles from the port of Odessa.

Similar attacks were reported by Ukraine’s armed forces in recent days including the destruction of a Serna-class landing craft by a TB2.