Russia has “systemic problems” with the maintenance of its fleet, Ukrainian Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk said in a television broadcast on December 24.

Pletenchuk’s comments came the day after the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sank in the Mediterranean after an explosion on board. The cause of the explosion is not yet known.

“They have systemic problems with maintenance,” Pletenchuk said said on air, as Ukrinform reports.

“At least they should have them, considering that such ships usually have many foreign-made elements and it is usually the engine room.”

The explosion aboard the Ursa Major reportedly occurred shortly after midday on December 23 in the ship’s engine rooms and caused the ship to list between Spain and Algeria. Fourteen crew members were rescued from the sinking Shipand two remain missing.

Pletenchuk said Russia is experiencing difficulties with both civilian and combat vessels.

“The Russians have a systemic problem,” Pletenchuk said.

“It is expectedly reflected in the general condition of their fleet, regardless of whether the fleet is a conventional civilian fleet or a combat fleet. If information cannot be disseminated as quickly and easily with the combat fleet because it is a more closed structure, then what? The Russians’ conventional civilian shipping is on the surface and sometimes even below the surface.

Ursa Major was built in 2009 and was subsequently subject to sanctions Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine due to its role in delivering cargo to the Russian military.

The Russian Independent News Agency MeduzaCiting OSINT analysts, the ship suggested that the ship could be part of a Russian convoy that was evacuating military equipment from there Syriahowever, this has not been confirmed.

The Russian cargo ship Ursa Major sinks after an explosion in the Mediterranean

Fourteen crew members were reportedly rescued and two are still missing.