CNN
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Ukraine said it attacked two Russian naval vessels, a communications center and several other facilities of the Black Sea Fleet in a major overnight attack on the Crimean port of Sevastopol.
There was no comment from Russian defense officials, but Russian politician and Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhaev confirmed on his Telegram channel that it was the “largest attack in recent times.”
A video posted on a local Telegram channel showed a series of massive explosions across the city, sending fireballs and thick black smoke into the air. I see another fireball in the distance.
Ukraine said the two amphibious landing ships Yamal and Azov were involved in the collision. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oreshchuk welcomed the attack, writing on social media: “The sky and the sea are the same color!” We would like to thank our pilots and naval forces for their successful combat operations. Crimea is ours! Let's win together! ”
Razbodyaev said one person was killed in the attack, without mentioning which military facilities were attacked. He said sea and land traffic in the city was “partially damaged”.
Russian military bloggers say Ukrainian forces are also targeting strongholds elsewhere in Crimea, including in Hvardyske, just north of Crimea's administrative center Simferopol, in the illegally annexed western and central parts of the peninsula. states that it did. Users who posted videos on local Telegram channels suggested that an oil depot there was attacked.
CNN cannot immediately verify the latest claims from either side.
Although Moscow appears to have a clear advantage in ground operations, Kiev's forces have continued success targeting Russia's Black Sea Fleet with missile attacks and maritime drone strikes.
Currently, more than 20 Russian naval vessels are inoperable or destroyed, equivalent to one-third of the entire fleet. Ukraine has virtually no navy of its own, but innovation, boldness, and Russian incompetence have given it the upper hand in much of the Black Sea. In October last year, satellite images showed Russia moving some naval vessels away from Sevastopol following a series of attacks on Ukraine.
If Sunday's attacks on Yamal and Azov are confirmed, Russia will likely have only three operational amphibious ships left in the Black Sea. Ukraine claims that Moscow has launched a full-scale invasion with 13 such ships.
In September, a Ukrainian missile attack also destroyed the fleet headquarters in Sevastopol.
For Ukraine, the consequences are not only military but also economic. This is because it will help secure shipping routes from Odessa and other ports to the Bosphorus, allowing Ukraine to sell grain and other products on the world market.
