All footage from a recent VBSS operation conducted by Russian Naval Spetsnaz forces has been released by the Russian Ministry of Defense. According to the MoD, the vessel was headed towards the Izmail harbor, which is a Ukrainian controlled port, and they believed that it may be smuggling ammunition and weapons to Ukraine.

This operation was carried out shortly after Russian Naval forces fired warning shots across the bow of the Sukra Okan after the captain of the ship refused to stop for an inspection. According to the ship's documentation, it was headed to the Romanian port of Sulina which is near the Izmail location the Russians believed the ship was heading to.

While some news outlets are claiming that the attack is a clear cut case of piracy because it occurred in international waters, it's more likely that the Russian forces were operating in a gray area due to their pull-out of the Turkish-brokered grain deal. According to the captain of the ship, upon completion of the inspection he was required to sign a document in Russian stating that no injuries or damage occurred due to the Russians boarding the vessel. Shortly after that, the ship was free to continue on about their business, which is exactly what they did.

About the Author

Josh Brooks

Josh is an American writer and former USMC machine gunner with eight years of experience in ground combat arms throughout the GWOT. He is currently based in Texas and specializes in combat footage analysis and digital marketing.Follow Josh at OfficialJoshBrooks.com