Russian Defense Ministry claims 7 out of 10 Ukrainian cruise missiles fired at Sevastopol facility intercepted. The site is crucial for Moscow's Ukraine war operations.
A Ukrainian strike on Russia's Black Sea Fleet HQ in Crimea resulted in damage to two ships and a significant fire at a vital naval shipyard linked to Russia's war efforts, as reported by Russian and Ukrainian authorities. This pre-dawn attack marked a notable assault on the Russian naval base in Sevastopol since the start of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine nearly 19 months ago, highlighting Ukraine's increased capability to target deep within Russian-controlled territory.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed Ukraine's firing of 10 cruise missiles at the facility, alongside an attack on a Russian warship in the Black Sea using three maritime drones. Seven cruise missiles were intercepted by air defense systems, and the patrol ship Vasily Bykov neutralized the drones, according to the ministry. Moscow only acknowledged the successful Ukrainian attack in Crimea after local residents shared images of explosions and fires at the Sevmorzavod shipyard on social media. The extent of the damage remains uncertain, but a photo shared by Mikhail Razvozhaev, the Russian-backed governor of Crimea, showed a large landing ship's port side engulfed in flames.
Mikhail Razvozhaev reported at least 24 injuries at the shipyard. The initial explosions and air defense activity were noted around 2 a.m. local time.
The nature of Ukraine's weaponry in the attack remained uncertain, although Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk, the commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, hinted at the involvement of a long-range airstrike. He expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian Air Force pilots for their outstanding combat performance and hinted at future actions.
Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior presidential adviser, implied that new weapons might have been used in the assault. He emphasized the importance of bolstering Ukraine's armed forces, including expanding their arsenal, to safeguard trade routes and grain shipments in the Black Sea region.
Results of the attack in Sevastopol remain undisclosed, with no clarification on the weapons used. Ukraine had recently acquired long-range weaponry from the UK and France, and they've been developing their own long-range cruise missiles.
Reports suggest damage to a Kilo-class submarine, the Rostov-on-Don, and a Ropucha-class landing ship, the Minsk, although independent confirmation is lacking. Russian officials acknowledged damage to two ships in dry dock. Satellite imagery by Planet Labs shows a Ropucha-class ship and a possible submarine in the dry dock, with post-attack imagery revealing burn damage to the dock.
This assault on the Russian naval fleet followed Ukraine's announcement of retaking oil and gas drilling platforms in the Black Sea, critical for Russia's power projection off Ukraine's coast since their seizure in 2015.