Ukraine Strikes Russian Naval Targets in Sevastopol
Ukraine announced on Wednesday that it had launched a strike on Russian naval targets and port infrastructure in Sevastopol, Crimea. This attack is seen as the most significant offensive of the war against Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. The strike further highlights Ukraine’s growing missile capabilities and Russia’s continuous long-range missile attacks and assault drone bombardments on Ukraine.
“We confirm that a large landing vessel and submarine were hit. However, we cannot disclose the details of the strike,” said Ukrainian military intelligence official Andriy Yusov in a statement to Reuters.
Russia’s defense ministry issued a statement confirming the attack, claiming that Ukraine launched 10 cruise missiles and three uncrewed speedboats, damaging two military vessels undergoing repairs in a Black Sea shipyard. The Russian military managed to intercept and destroy seven of the incoming missiles, and the attack boats were eliminated by a Russian patrol ship.
An image circulating online, verified by Reuters, displayed a seriously damaged docked vessel. Retired Ukrainian navy captain Andriy Ryzhenko described it as “the biggest attack on Sevastopol since the beginning of the war.”
Sevastopol is home to the Black Sea Fleet, which the Kremlin utilizes to project power in the Middle East and Mediterranean. Throughout the war in Ukraine, Russia has employed its warships to carry out missile attacks and impose a de facto blockade on Ukraine’s seaborne food exports via the Turkish straits.
The type of missile used by Ukraine in the attack remains unclear. Captain Ryzhenko suggested that domestically developed Neptune anti-ship missiles, modified for ground targets, or British-supplied Storm Shadow cruise missiles might have been employed. British news outlet Sky News, citing undisclosed sources, also mentioned the potential use of Storm Shadows in the assault.
During the 18-month-old war, the West has provided Ukraine with billions of dollars in weapons to aid its defense against Russian forces, which have occupied significant territorial areas in the south and east since their full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Public Claim of Responsibility
In an unusual move, the Ukrainian military publicly claimed responsibility for the strike, which is not typical for attacks on Russia or the Crimea peninsula. “On the morning of September 13, the Ukrainian armed forces successfully struck naval assets and port infrastructure of the occupiers at the docks of temporarily occupied Sevastopol,” the military said on Telegram.
Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, reported on Telegram that at least 24 people had been injured in the attack. He also shared a nighttime photo showing flames engulfing what appeared to be port infrastructure. Videos and additional photos of the fire at the facility near the water were posted on Russian Telegram channels.
Residents of Sevastopol expressed fear and surprise due to the attack. Some recalled being woken up by the explosions, while others claimed that there was no cause for concern, as the town seemed calm. Alexander Ivanov, who had recently returned from the war, said, “Everything is calm in town now. People are actually even curiously checking what happened. There’s no fear.”
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