In a recent development amidst the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Ukraine's military intelligence agency, GUR, has claimed that it successfully employed sea drones to sink a Russian corvette in the Black Sea. The attack took place on Wednesday night, targeting the missile-armed cutter Ivanovets, according to the video footage released by GUR on social media.

The GUR video purportedly shows multiple naval drones crashing into the vessel and exploding, resulting in the sinking of the Russian corvette. The ship, estimated to cost between $60 to $70 million, was reportedly on patrol on Lake Donuzlav in western Crimea, which has been connected to the Black Sea since 1961.

While both Ukrainian and Russian claims cannot be independently verified, a Western official speaking on condition of anonymity supported Ukraine's account, stating that it was "highly likely that uncrewed surface vessels were responsible for the strike on the Ivanovets." The growing use of sea drones by Ukraine has impacted Russia's naval forces, leading to increased exports of crucial goods, including grain, through Ukraine's southern ports.

The private security firm Ambrey has reported that up to six sea drones, each carrying approximately 300 kilograms (661 pounds) of explosives, were used in the attack. However, it is worth noting that any unexploded drones pose a potential threat to Black Sea shipping.

In a separate development, Russia's Investigative Committee alleged that the Russian Il-76 military transport plane that crashed near the border with Ukraine on January 24 was downed by two U.S.-made Patriot missiles launched by Ukrainian forces. The committee claimed that the missiles were fired from the Kharkiv region of Ukraine and stated that fragments of two MIM-104A missiles were found near the crash site in Belgorod region. However, the committee did not provide concrete physical evidence to support its claims.

Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict continues to escalate, with civilian casualties reported along the front line stretching across eastern and southern Ukraine. In the Donetsk region, the Russian army shelled 11 towns and villages, resulting in the death of one person in the village of Tsukuryne. Additionally, in Toretsk, two individuals were wounded during a rocket attack. In the Kherson region, six civilians, including a husband and wife in Beryslav, were wounded in a drone attack while riding a motorcycle through the city.

As the conflict enters its second anniversary on February 24, disinformation from both sides continues to cloud the reality on the ground.