Ukraine has long been committed to destroying the Russian Black Sea Fleet in its defense against Moscow's war of aggression.
The Ukrainian Air Force claims to have destroyed a Russian Black Sea Fleet warship in Crimea, which was annexed by Moscow. The large landing ship “Novocherkassk” was hit by cruise missiles in the port city of Feodosiya on the Black Sea Peninsula, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on Tuesday.
The Defense Ministry in Moscow confirmed the attack but only spoke of damage to the ship. Russian anti-aircraft defense also shot down two Ukrainian Air Force fighters during the attack.
One person was killed in the “enemy attack”, said Moscow-appointed Crimean governor Sergei Aksyonov. There are also two injured. Aksyonov also confirmed on his channel on the Telegram news service an explosion and fire in the Feodosiya region. Six buildings were damaged by the force of the blast wave. The area was cordoned off and residents of some houses had to be accommodated elsewhere, Aksyonov said. He asked people to remain calm.
Shoigu informs Putin
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also immediately informed President Vladimir Putin about the attack on the ship and the damage to Novocherkassk, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. There was no information on the extent of the damage. The two downed Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jets belonged to the Ukrainian Air Force's tactical aviation squadrons and fired guided missiles, the ministry in Moscow said. Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ihnat denied shooting down Ukrainian planes on Radio Svoboda.
Photos and videos of a large explosion could be seen on social media. The authenticity of the recordings could not initially be independently verified. According to officially unconfirmed reports, the “Novocherkassk” would have been loaded with combat drones and other munitions. The head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, said in Kiev that in the future there would no longer be a Russian Black Sea Fleet in Crimea.
Shipwrecked “Moskva” sunk
Ukraine has repeatedly hit Russian warships in attacks. According to Ukrainian data, 10 Russian ships have been sunk and 16 damaged since the start of the war. The sinking of the “Moskva”, the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet, attracted special attention last year.
Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 in violation of international law, is frequently the target of Ukrainian attacks. The peninsula serves as an important point in Russia's war against Ukraine – from there, Moscow's troops in the south of the attacked country receive supplies. Russia is attacking Ukraine with drones and missiles from warships in the Black Sea. The leadership in Kiev has repeatedly announced that it will free Crimea from Russian occupation. (APA/dpa)