Ukraine’s special forces have once again raised the country’s flag in Russia-annexed Crimea after conducting a bold “special operation,” Kiev’s military intelligence chiefs announced tonight.
Kiev has repeatedly stated its intention to retake Crimea, which has been under Russian control since 2014.
Ukrainian intelligence agency GUR said its special forces landed overnight on Crimea’s western coast near the towns of Olenivka and Mayak, where they were “engaged in fighting”.
“As a result, the enemy suffered human losses.” “Enemy equipment was destroyed,” it said, adding that “the state flag was flying again in Ukrainian Crimea.”
The attack, part of a “joint special operation” with the country’s navy, comes as Norway has announced it will donate fighter jets to Ukraine to bolster its Soviet-era air force.
Special forces of Ukraine have again hoisted the country’s flag in Russia-annexed Crimea after a bold “special operation”.
Enemy equipment was destroyed during the military operation, the Ukrainian secret service GUR said
Ukrainian intelligence agency GUR said its special forces landed overnight on the west coast of Crimea near the towns of Olenivka and Mayak
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, who made a surprise visit to Kiev for Independence Day, announced his country would be donating F-16 fighter jets to the country, adding that details on the number of aircraft and the timeframe would be announced “in due course”. would. .
Norway is the third country, after Denmark and the Netherlands, to have pledged F-16 planes to Ukraine, which has long been looking for the jets to bolster its war effort.
The successful operation is rare evidence that Ukrainian forces are capable of conducting ground operations in Crimea, which Russia captured and annexed in 2014.
Short and somber video footage shows a group of Ukrainian soldiers conducting the pre-dawn attack on what are believed to be Russian defenses.
The armed special forces are seen sailing in rubber boats towards Crimea before launching an attack on the Russians stationed near Olenkivka and hoisting the Ukrainian flag there.
“Special forces landed on the shore near the settlements of Olenivka and Mayak … The enemy suffered losses in personnel, enemy equipment was destroyed.” “In addition, the Ukrainian flag flew again in Ukrainian Crimea,” Ukrainian military intelligence GUR said on Telegram today.
The Ukrainian special forces left Crimea after completing their duties, without elaborating.
Locals heard explosions near the village of Mayak, while local media reported a battle between boats and planes.
Short and somber video footage shows a group of Ukrainian soldiers conducting the pre-dawn attack on what are believed to be Russian defenses
According to Ukrainian officials, a Russian air defense system in occupied Crimea was destroyed yesterday – a day before Ukrainian special forces launched a pre-dawn attack on the peninsula
A clip shared by Ukrainian officials showed a massive explosion in Olenevka, a town on Crimea’s Cape Tarhankut, after Kiev’s forces attacked a Russian air defense system
Russia did not comment on the report, which coincided with Ukraine’s Independence Day.
In his message to the Ukrainian people, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Ukrainians “not to lose faith in these difficult times”.
After visiting St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev, he added in a Telegram message: “We honored the memory of the fallen defenders of our country.”
He added that freedom is a “value for each of us and we fight for it”.
The site of the “special operation” carried out by the Navy and military intelligence of Ukraine is close to where Ukraine had destroyed a Russian S-400 Triumf air defense system a day earlier.
Ukrainian officials released video yesterday showing the air defense system detonating in Olenevka, a town on Cape Tarhankut in Crimea, after the attack.
“The blast completely destroyed the facility itself, the missiles installed on it and the personnel,” said Ukrainian official Anton Gerashchenko.
Russian sources suspect the blast was caused by a Storm Shadow missile delivered to Ukraine by Britain and France.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the country on Independence Day
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, who made a surprise visit to Kiev on Independence Day, welcomes Zelensky
In today’s pre-dawn raid, around 3:50 a.m., radar stations Nebo-M and Kasta-2E2 could have been a target.
Russian sources suspected ten people came in two inflatable boats and claimed they shot at a campsite.
Earlier, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, hinted at an operation in Crimea, which was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed on Wednesday to end Russia’s occupation of Crimea, although Russia shows no signs of giving up the peninsula.
The Kremlin wants Kyiv to recognize Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea and also recognize the September annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhia provinces.
Ukraine has vowed to expel the Russians from all occupied territories and has barred any talks with Moscow until the country fully regains control of its lands.
Crimea’s unique location in the Black Sea makes it a strategic asset for whoever controls it, and Russia has fought for it for centuries.
Earlier this month, Ukraine’s secret service SBU released a video showing the moment when a Ukrainian experimental kamikaze drone struck Vladimir Putin’s £3 billion bridge linking Russia with Crimea, triggering a massive explosion.
The bold attack by the Sea Baby drone triggered massive explosions along the 12-mile route last month.
Footage seen by CNN shows the Marine Kamikaze drone, armed with up to 850kg of explosives, sailing under cover of darkness towards the bridge (pictured) before smashing into the intersection and sending debris flying through the air
Separate footage released by the SBU and Ukrainian sources showed the extent of the blast from different angles as the strike hit the crossing, which has separate road and rail links
Pictured: The damage caused by the sea drone to the Crimean Bridge
Footage seen by CNN shows the Marine Kamikaze drone, armed with up to 850kg of explosives, sailing under cover of darkness towards the bridge before smashing into the crossing and sending debris flying through the air.
Separate footage released by the SBU and Ukrainian sources showed the extent of the blast from different angles as the strike hit the crossing, which has separate road and rail links.
It is the first time that the SBU has openly claimed responsibility for the Ukrainian Navy’s attack.
A couple were killed and their 14-year-old daughter seriously injured in the explosions on the Crimean Bridge, an important supply line for Russian troops fighting in Ukraine and a prestige project personally initiated by Putin.
A section of the crossing was destroyed in the double attack. Pictures show twisted metal barriers, debris and a damaged car – a major setback to Moscow’s war effort.
Dashcam footage showed motorists braking abruptly after the blasts destroyed parts of the crossing and hurled debris at them.