The Ukrainian security service, SBU, carried out an attack near the Russian port of Novorossiysk early on Friday, damaging the Russian navy's Olenegorsky Gornyak landing ship, a source told LIGA.net.

In a video provided to LIGA.net, an SBU surface drone is seen colliding with the Russian ship with about 100 crew members.

The source added the drone was packed with 450 kilograms of explosives.

"As a result of the attack, the Olenegorsky Gornyak received a serious breach and currently cannot conduct its combat missions. All the Russian statements about a 'repelled attack' are fake."

Earlier, Russian media reported explosions in Novorossiysk, in southern Russia, and a temporary ban on ship traffic in the port.

The Russian defence ministry later said it had "repelled" an attack by Ukrainian naval drones, which occurred about 470 kilometres from the nearest Ukrainian-controlled territories

The Olenegorskiy Gornyak is a large amphibious assault ship, commissioned in 1976, part of the Russian Northern Fleet.

The ship’s crew consists of 98 people, including 17 officers. It can carry up to 500 tonnes of equipment and cargo and 225 paratroopers.

The vessel is armed with two 57mm AK-725 naval guns, two Grad-M multiple rocket launchers, and four Strela-2 portable surface-to-air missile system launchers.

While Ukraine had long stopped short of confirming its involvement in such attacks, SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk last week said the attack on Russian ships in the Sevastopol bay in October 2022 and the recent explosion of the Crimean bridge were the security service’s work.

SBUwar in UkrainedroneNovorossiysk