- Ukraine alleges Sevastopol missile strike.
- Russian Black Sea fleet targeted.
- Ongoing conflict in Crimea.
Ukraine alleges that a missile strike on Russia’s Black Sea fleet headquarters in Crimea coincided with a naval officials’ meeting.
In a brief statement, the Ukrainian military claimed casualties without providing specifics.
Moscow reported one missing serviceman after the attack on Friday.
The Black Sea fleet, stationed in Sevastopol, is a significant asset for Russia.
According to a Ukrainian military source, the strike used Storm Shadow missiles, supplied by Britain and France.
The Ukrainian military’s statement on Saturday stated that it resulted in “dozens of casualties, including high-ranking fleet officials.”
Kyiv’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, stated that two Russian commanders suffered severe injuries.
It’s important to note that many battlefield claims from both sides cannot be independently verified.
Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western powers of indirectly fighting against Russia through Ukrainians.
These comments were made after Lavrov’s address at the UN General Assembly, where he criticized the West as an “empire of lies.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 drew international condemnation. Moscow had previously annexed Crimea in 2014.
Sevastopol faced renewed attacks on Saturday, with debris from a missile intercepted by air defenses falling near a pier, according to the city’s governor, Mikhail Razvozhaev.
He also ordered an inspection of bomb shelters following complaints about their accessibility and condition.
Ukraine’s forces have been launching near-daily strikes on Russian forces in Crimea recently.
Last week, Ukraine’s navy claimed to have disabled an S-400 air defense missile system, reducing Russia’s ability to defend against future attacks.
A day earlier, a significant Russian landing ship and submarine were damaged in an attack involving Storm Shadow missiles.
These attacks on Crimea hold both strategic and symbolic significance, as the Black Sea fleet is a symbol of Russia’s longstanding military presence in the region, based in Crimea even before its 2014 annexation.
