Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, has been a frequent target of Ukrainian attacks during the 19-month conflict. These attacks, with drones and missiles, have intensified in recent weeks. The last one, which left at least one missing, occurred yesterday Friday against the most strategic place in this strategic territory: the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, in the port city of Sevastopol. Kyiv claimed responsibility for the action and said it was a “success.”
The peninsula is essential in the Russian military operation, both for supplying the troops operating in Ukraine and for carrying out missile attacks from the sea.
According to the governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, “the enemies launched a missile attack.” It was the third against the peninsula or its vicinity yesterday morning. According to Razvozhayev, several fragments of a missile fell near a theater, but he assured that there were no civilian casualties or damage to public infrastructure.
The Russian Ministry of Defense, which initially announced the death of a soldier, stated that he was missing. This department also assured that the air defenses had managed to shoot down a total of five missiles.
After a few hours of silence, the Ukrainian army celebrated this “successful attack on the command headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the temporarily occupied city of Sevastopol.” Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mikola Oleschuk thanked his pilots for the attack.
“You are asked not to go to the city center, not to leave the buildings. “Everyone near the fleet headquarters, when the sirens sound, should go to the shelters,” said the head of Sevastopol. He explained that the attack had caused a fire. “Firefighters are taking all measures to eliminate the fire as soon as possible,” the governor added.
Hours before the governor's statement, Russia claimed that Ukraine had attacked Crimea with guided aviation missiles. A missile and two drones managed to be intercepted off the western coast of Crimea. “At approximately 10:30 Moscow time, an attempt (...) by Kyiv to carry out a terrorist attack with guided missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation was stopped,” the Ministry reported. of Russian Defense.
It was the second Ukrainian attack against the peninsula that morning, since Defense had already reported at 6 a.m. the downing of two drones launched by Kyiv near the southeastern coast of Crimea and in the Tuapse region, in the province of Krasnodar.
As a result, maritime traffic was stopped and land traffic was suspended on the Crimean Bridge, which connects the Black Sea peninsula with continental Russia.
The headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet suffered another attack two months ago. In the early hours of July 31, when Russia celebrates Navy Day, “an unidentified object” hit the headquarters. According to Razvozhayev, a wall was partially destroyed, windows and facades were damaged, and six people were injured.
A month later, on August 20, a drone managed to reach the facilities. And, in mid-September, the Ukrainian army launched a missile attack against shipyards in Sevastopol. Two ships being repaired were damaged.
