OREANDA-NEWS Russian troops this night thwarted an attempt by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to capture the Crimea-2 self-lifting drilling rig in the Black Sea with the help of fourteen American Willard Sea Force boats, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

"Last night, an attempt by the Kiev regime to seize the Russian self-lifting drilling rig Crimea-2 in the Black Sea was thwarted. To capture the Russian drilling rig, the main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine sent a marine landing force of fourteen American Willard "Sea Force" boats with servicemen of the special operations forces of the Ukrainian Navy," the ministry said in a statement.

It is clarified that during the battle, the forces of the Black Sea Fleet and Russian servicemen performing the tasks of protecting and defending the drilling rig sank eight sea boats and destroyed up to 80 Ukrainian servicemen of the special operations forces.

Six more Ukrainian boats retreated without even making attempts to pick up the wounded Ukrainian servicemen who remained in the water, the Defense Ministry added.

"Another media operation of the Kiev regime in the Black Sea area, timed to coincide with the arrival of high representatives of the United States and European countries to Ukraine on September 11, choked in blood and claimed the lives of many dozens of Ukrainian servicemen," the ministry concluded.

Earlier, Ukrainian media reported that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and British Foreign Minister David Lammy arrived in Kiev.