An experimental sea drone was used to damage a Russian missile ship, Ukrainian sources say

• Ukrainian sources say they used an experimental drone called Sea Baby to strike a Russian missile ship.
• The attack took place off the coast of occupied Crimea, where Russia's Black Sea Fleet is based.

Ukraine used an experimental sea drone to strike and damage a Russian missile ship off the coast of occupied Crimea, Ukrainian sources claim.

The attack on the Samum missile ship took place on Thursday off Sevastopol Bay amid ongoing Ukrainian attacks on Russia's Black Sea Fleet.

Ukrainian sources confirmed the attack to Reuters and Ukrainian media, claiming that a sea drone had hit the rear of the ship and caused "significant damage."

An image circulated on social media appeared to show the ship being towed for repairs, but Insider was unable to verify it.

The Ukrainian account contradicts Russia's defense ministry, which confirmed that the Samum was attacked but claimed that it was repelled and that the drone was destroyed, per Reuters.

Russia has only two ships like the Samum, which are relatively small in size but claim to be able to match destroyers in terms of firepower, according to the Defense Express.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) used an experimental Sea Baby drone in the attack, which can operate in stormy conditions and evade detection behind high waves, Ukrainian media outlet New Voice reported.

The waves reached 1.5 to 2 meters, or around 5 to 6.5 feet, during the operation, sources told the outlet.

The Sea Baby drones are a "unique invention" of the SBU, its head Vasyl Maliuk previously said, and were used to attack the Crimean Bridge last month.

In recent months Ukraine has been using sea drones to "paralyze" Russia's Black Sea Fleet, a Ukrainian intelligence chief previously said.

Russia has been using its fleet to impose a de facto blockade on Ukraine's food exports by blocking the country's ports.

Ukraine has long maintained that its goal is to take back the peninsula of Crimea, which was occupied by Russia in 2014.