Powerful Ukrainian attack in Crimea. Russian ships and communications center in Sevastopol hit
Ukrainians hit two Russian ships and a military communications center in occupied Crimea, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said. This is the latest in a series of Ukrainian attacks on the peninsula in recent months.
Ukrainian military officials said they damaged two large Russian landing ships, the Yamal and the Azov, the communications base of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, and critical infrastructure facilities. Media also reported a successful attack on an occupiers' fuel base near Simferopol.
Ukrainians attacked in Crimea. Two Russian ships and a communications center damaged
Amateur video footage posted on social media shows several powerful explosions in the Sevastopol naval port, as well as over the city itself. Anton Gerashchenko, a former adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, posted a photo of a large cloud of smoke rising above the fuel depot.
The Russian side did not report any damage to the naval base. It only reported that one person was killed and four were injured in the attack. The Crimean Bridge was also closed to traffic. Moscow-appointed Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on social media that the Russian military had "repelled the most massive attack on Sevastopol in recent times." According to him, the Russians managed to shoot down 10 missiles.
According to unofficial reports, the Ukrainians used missiles, most likely Western Storm Shadow missiles, during the attacks. Military facilities in occupied Crimea and in the waters around the peninsula are often the target of Ukrainian precision strikes. Ukrainians also use their own-made floating drones to destroy Russian ships.
Sinking of the ship Sergei Kotov
On March 5, Ukrainian intelligence reported the sinking of the ship Sergei Kotov. The Russian patrol ship was destroyed by Ukrainian naval drones off the coast of occupied Crimea. The ship was a modern unit that officially joined the Black Sea Fleet in 2022 and took part, among other things, in the attack on Snake Island and in blocking the movement of merchant ships in the Black Sea.
The ship was 100 meters long and 14 meters wide. Part of the 80-man crew, according to Ukrainian military intelligence, was killed and some were injured.