The Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) attack on the Novocherkassk landing ship in the port of Feodosia in occupied Crimea came while there were 77 sailors on board, Telegram channel ASTRA reported, citing sources. It said that condolences for the dead had already begun to appear on social media.

The AFU estimated that about 80 people were on the Novocherkassk at the time of the attack, Dmytro Pletenchuk, the Ukraine Navy spokesman, told the Ukrainian service of Radio Liberty.

According to ASTRA, 33 crew members are missing, 23 are injured, and at least one person was killed. The Telegram channel claims wreckage of a Storm Shadow missile was found at the scene. One of the sailors serving on the Novocherkassk confirmed there were both conscripts and professional soldiers on the ship at the time of the attack, and conscripts were among the dead.

The Novocherkassk was attacked early on Tuesday. Local authorities and both Russian and Ukrainian military sources confirmed that the attack was carried out by the AFU. The head of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, declared one dead and two injured amongst the civilian population.