The gymnasium in the Russian city of Shakhty has confirmed the death of one of its graduates who served on the large landing ship Novocherkask, which was destroyed in December after AFU attacked the port of Feodosia in occupied Crimea.
The Russian Federation confirmed the death of one sailor
As noted, the website of the Gymnasium named after O.S. Pushkin" reports that the deceased is senior sailor Ihor Meshcheryakov, who graduated from this educational institution in 2017.
Since August 2021, Meshcheryakov served in the 197th brigade of large landing ships of the Russian Navy of the "Novocherkassk" ship with the rank of sailor, the website reports.
The Gymnasium also announced that Meshcheryakov died on December 26, 2023, the day of the rocket attack on Feodosia. In addition, it is noted that Meshcheryakova was posthumously awarded the Order of Courage.
Thus, Meshcheryakov became the first sailor whose death due to the impact was officially confirmed.
Destruction of "Novocherkassk": what is known
On the night of December 26, the Ukrainian Air Force destroyed a large Russian landing assault ship, "Novocherkassk", in Feodosia.
This was a continuation of the series of destructions of ships of the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation by Ukraine, resulting in some of the vessels being withdrawn from the bays of Crimea.
At 3 a.m. on December 26, explosions rang out in the Feodosia region of occupied Crimea. It was reported that a ship allegedly carrying Iranian ammunition was blown up, and a fire broke out in the port.
The Air Force commander, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleschuk, confirmed that Ukrainian defenders blew up the large Russian landing assault ship "Novocherkassk" in occupied Feodosia.
Later, it became known that "Novocherkask" was destroyed by cruise missiles from Air Force tactical aviation.
The ship contained Shahed UAVs, which the Russian army uses for attacks on Ukrainian cities.
The Ministry of Defense of Russia reported that the Novocherkassk ship was damaged in Feodosia that night "during the repulse of an attack by the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the use of air-guided missiles."
According to the statement of Russia's MOD, "During the anti-aircraft battle, two Ukrainian Su-24s, which were launching missiles, were destroyed by air defence means." The AFU Air Force of the Armed Forces denied this info.
