Ukraine has launched drone attacks near Sevastopol, according to the Crimean city’s governor. They follow other strikes this week in the north of the peninsula, which Kyiv has insisted it must take back from Russian occupation.
Ukrainian naval drones had tried to strike coastal bays in Sevastopol. However, they had been stopped by Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, the Moscow-backed Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on his Telegram channel.
Video of a fire near the entrance to the Sevastopol Bay is circulating on social media, although it was unclear exactly what was burning.
Razvozhayev wrote that, at around 5 a.m. Wednesday, three objects had been destroyed. He added that Navy crew fired at them using small arms and that air defense was also involved. “The warships were not damaged,” Razvozhayev said, in comments also reported by state news agency RIA Novosti.
In a follow-up post, the governor said that “Ukronazis” had launched an “information attack.” Radio signals had been intercepted to spread news that passengers on ferries were being evacuated. “Of course, this is a lie,” Razvozhayev added. However, maritime passenger transport was suspended in Sevastopol on Wednesday morning, according to the Telegram channel of Transport Sevastopol.
RIA reported that explosions had shattered windows in two central city buildings. The report added that, since last July, Ukrainian forces have been using drones to target the city, which is the main base of the Black Sea Fleet. “Most drones are shot down by the air defense system,” RIA reported.
Russia illegally annexed Crimea in 2014. Kyiv has suggested that retaking the peninsula is a priority ahead of a planned offensive later this year.
On Tuesday, videos widely shared online appeared to show an explosion in the town of Dzhankoi in the north of the peninsula. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said that an explosion had destroyed Russian Kalibr NK cruise missiles while they were being transported by rail.
Without directly claiming responsibility, Ukraine’s defense ministry called the explosions “mysterious.” It added that they “continue the process of Russia’s demilitarization and prepare the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea for de-occupation.”
The defense ministry added that the missiles hit were “designed for launches from surface ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.” The weapons had a range of more than 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) against land targets and 375 kilometers (233 miles) against sea targets.
While fighting has centred on Bakhmut, retired Australian army major general Mick Ryan tweeted that Tuesday’s explosions have forced Russia “to rethink their force posture and defensive deployments in Crimea and beyond.”
It also allowed Ukraine’s forces “to collect intelligence on Russian responses in Crimea as the Ukrainian Armed Forces plan future military operations there.”
Newsweek has emailed the Ukrainian defense ministry for comment.
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