Ukraine on Wednesday, the 13th of September, carried out a significant attack on naval targets and port infrastructure in Crimea, targeting the Russian navy’s Black Sea fleet. Russia reported that Ukraine launched ten missiles and three unmanned boats, causing a major fire at a Sevastopol shipyard, injuring 24 people, citing a Moscow-installed governor, writes BBC.
Ukraine’s attack on the Russian Black Sea fleet has reportedly damaged a large landing ship named Minsk and a submarine called the Rostov-on-Don. It’s believed that Ukraine used western-supplied cruise missiles in the attack,
making it one of their most significant strikes on the fleet.
Ukrainian military intelligence confirmed the hits but did not disclose the exact means used. The head of Ukraine’s air force, Mykola Oleshchuk, thanked his pilots on Telegram, implying the use of UK Storm Shadow or French SCALP cruise missiles with a longer range than previously used.
The attack on the marine plant in #Sevastopol was carried out with the help of aviation
The commander of the #Ukrainian Air Force Mykola Oleshchuk spoke about this.
Ukrainian media believe that Western long-range Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles were used for the attack. https://t.co/gqc1awcl3H pic.twitter.com/JN3zFLTRt4
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) September 13, 2023
Ukraine’s recent missile attack on Russia’s Black Sea fleet, raises significant concerns in Moscow as in
how missiles got through Russia’s air defences.
Russia claims to have intercepted seven of the missiles and destroyed all three unmanned boats.
The incident underscores the ongoing struggle for control over Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. Ukraine has repeatedly stated its intent to eventually regain control of the peninsula, and this is not the first time it has targeted Sevastopol and the Black Sea fleet.
Meanwhile Russian drones reportedly carried out an attack on the Ukrainian grain port of Izmail, in the Danube River. The assault resulted in a fire and significant damage to the port’s infrastructure. According to Oleh Kiper, the governor of the Odesa region, who confirmed the incident on Telegram, six people were reported injured in the attack, and multiple drone groups were launched at the Izmail district, causing damage to both the port and other civilian structures.
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