Photo Does Not Show the Aftermath of the Destruction of the Russian ship Ivan Khurs
The Claim
Emerging story
Following an assault on the Russian intelligence vessel Ivan Khurs by an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) in the Black Sea, a photo purportedly showing the ship's condition was circulated by social media users.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating photo and found the claim to be misleading.
After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the photo making the rounds to be outdated and unrelated to the recent attack on the Russian intelligence ship Ivan Khurs.
This Photo Shows al-Qaida’s Bombing of the USS Cole in 2000.
Contrary to the claim, the photo making the rounds shows the damage inflicted on the USS Cole following the suicide bombing incident on October 12, 2000.
The U.S. Navy provided this photo, which was uploaded to NBC News's article about the incident on October 12, 2010.
The identical photo was released by the Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (SURFLANT). As stated in the photo's caption, it depicts the damage suffered by the USS Cole (DDG 67), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, on October 12, 2000. The damage occurred when a suspected terrorist bomb detonated during a refueling operation in the port of Aden, Yemen.
USS Cole Bombing on October 2000
On October 12, 2000, two suicide pilots operating a small boat laden with explosives approached the USS Cole near its midship area. The U.S. destroyer was on its way to the Persian Gulf and had made a planned fuel stop at the port of Aden, Yemen, when the attack took place.
The detonation caused a significant blast that created a 40-foot-wide hole near the waterline of the Cole. 17 U.S. sailors lost their lives, and nearly 40 other crew members sustained injuries.
The resulting explosion foreshadowed the chilling events of the September 11 attacks. Many of the deceased crew members became trapped in the wreckage caused by the blast.
Following the attack, President Clinton expressed a strong commitment to taking action against the attackers responsible. He vowed that they would not find a safe haven and declared that they would be pursued relentlessly. The president at the time made it clear that justice would ultimately prevail in bringing them to account for their actions.
Russian Intelligence Ship Allegedly Struck by Ukrainian USV
A recently surfaced video on the internet depicts the destruction of the Russian reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs in the Black Sea, specifically capturing the detonation of one of the unmanned surface vessels involved.
From the perspective captured in the video, which was filmed from the starboard side of the ship, it becomes apparent that the damage inflicted upon the vessel was likely caused by one of the unmanned surface vessels.
The Russian Ministry of Defense issued a statement on May 24 regarding the attack on the Ivan Khurs ship, claiming the successful interception of all unmanned surface vessels involved.
However, contradicting this statement, video footage surfaced on May 25, revealing at least one unmanned surface vessel attacking the ship's defenses and striking its side.
On May 26, Russian media released a video featuring the entry of a project 18280 ship into Sevastopol Bay, claimed to be the Ivan Khurs vessel.
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