MOSCOW

The Russian Navy repelled a Ukrainian attack overnight and destroyed three unmanned sea vessels, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

"Last night, the armed forces of Ukraine attempted, but failed, to attack the patrol ships Sergey Kotov and Vasily Bykov of the Black Sea Fleet with three unmanned sea boats," the ministry said in a statement.

The ministry noted that all three boats were destroyed by fire from the vessels they were targeting.

The incident took place 340 kilometers (211 miles) southwest of Sevastopol, the largest Crimean city on the Black Sea, it said.