Ukraine's special forces 'severely injured significant Russian figure' in raid on Putin's territory – as UK-supplied Storm Shadow missile 'hit senior officials in attack on army command post'

Ukraine said it seriously injured a “significant” Russian figure in a special forces incursion into Vladimir Putin's Belgorod region.

The claim came from the head of Kiev military intelligence, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov.

“Without revealing details, I can say that it is one of the seriously injured.” [in Russia’s Belgorod region] “was quite an important figure,” he said.

“They immediately requested a helicopter to evacuate him directly to Moscow.”

He declined to provide further details.

The head of Kiev's military intelligence, Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, said he could not confirm earlier extraordinary claims on social media that a rocket attack on Sevastopol – in Crimea – had killed Putin's top commander, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, 68 (pictured ).

Ukrainian special forces invading the Belgorod region of Russia

An attack during an invasion of the Belgorod region of Russia

Budanov also said he could not confirm earlier extraordinary claims on social media that a rocket attack on Sevastopol in Crimea had killed Putin's top war commander, General Valery Gerasimov,68.

Ukraine attacked a command post and believes senior figures were hit – but there is no evidence that it targeted Gerasimov, who is also first deputy defense minister.

Asked about reports of Gerasimov's murder, the 38-year-old intelligence chief said: “Let's just say I don't have any information to back that up.”

Russia did not comment on the Gerasimov claims, which were widely reported on Friday.

But Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesman for the southern unit of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army battalion, said of the attack in Sevastopol: “There are many versions about who might have been hit there.”

“I even heard the famous surname Gerasimov.

“That would be good news, but I think it’s unlikely to be the reality.”

“But the fact that several high-ranking officers or generals of the Russian occupation army were hit in this command post is real.”

“Without revealing details, I can say that it is one of the seriously injured.” [in Russia ‘s Belgorod region] was quite an important figure,” said Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Kyiv’s military intelligence (pictured).

A video showed Ukrainian special forces firing on an incursion in Russia's Belgorod region

A target in the crosshairs during an incursion by Ukrainian special forces into Russia's Belgorod region

Ukrainian special forces invading the Belgorod region of Russia

The Ukrainian military today claimed it had successfully attacked the Saki military air base in the west of the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula

A total of 15 Russian military personnel were killed in the attack on the command post in Sevastopol on Thursday, Ukrainian sources reported today, citing the Crimean Wind Telegram broadcaster.

The Ukrainian military today claimed it had successfully attacked the Saki military air base in the west of the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula.

“Saki Airfield! All targets have been hit!' Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk wrote on Telegram. He also posted a photo that appeared to show the airfield, although it was not immediately possible to verify the image.

Russian officials did not comment on the alleged attack, but the Russian Defense Ministry said in the early hours of Saturday that it had successfully shot down four Ukrainian missiles over the peninsula overnight.

Ambulances were reportedly sent to both the Sevastopol site and Saki airfield following the attacks, believed to be British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles.

Ukrainian Air Force commander General Mykola Oleshchuk said: “All targets were destroyed… I thank our pilots once again for the great work.”

He previously praised the “impeccable combat work” of his flight crews in the attack on the Sevastopol command post in Yukharin Balka, where Gerasimov was rumored to have been a casualty.

Asked about reports of Gerasimov's killing, Budanov said: “Let's just say I don't have any information to support this.”

Gerasimov – Putin's top military commander and head of the Russian armed forces – has not been seen since December 29, when he presented military awards to “military personnel who distinguished themselves in the liberation of Marinka” in Ukraine's occupied Donetsk region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov (R) attend an expanded meeting of the Board of Directors of the Russian Ministry of Defense at the Russian National Defense Control Center in Moscow, Russia, on December 19, 2023

Putin-appointed Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvoshayev said: “It was the worst.” [attack] lately.'

Budanov said of the previously unknown raid across the border into the Belgorod region: “We are in an open war and there is no reason to be surprised.”

“Anyone who wages war against others will sooner or later be confronted with it themselves.”

“In the end, that’s exactly what happens.”

RBK-Ukraine reported: “Today information spread on the Internet that the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Valery Gerasimov was allegedly killed as a result of yesterday's attacks in Crimea.”

Still, there is no independent evidence that the general – an enemy of slain warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin – was in Crimea or that he was hit in the Crimean attack.

Significant casualties have been reported to have been inflicted and after a barrage of Ukrainian shelling in recent days, Russia has evacuated hundreds of residents from the city of Belgorod, showing Putin's inability to adequately defend a key regional center, they said it in reports.

Belgorod has been hit by Ukrainian attacks almost daily in recent days, with the deadliest attack killing 25 people on December 30.

Later on Saturday, the ministry reported that its air defense forces fired six anti-ship missiles over the Black Sea.

Traffic on a bridge connecting the peninsula, which Moscow illegally seized in 2014, with Russia's southern Krasnodar region was temporarily closed for the third day in a row. The span is a crucial supply link for Russia's war effort.