Crimea: Ukraine launches an attack on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, according to an official

CNN
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Ukraine launched a missile attack on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, killing a soldier, the Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol in Crimea said on Friday.

“The enemy launched a missile attack on the fleet headquarters,” Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozaev said on Telegram.

Over the past month, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian military bases and other facilities, including air defenses, in Crimea.

Sevastopol, home to the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, is one of the largest cities in Crimea and was illegally annexed by Moscow forces in 2014.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said that a Russian soldier was killed as a result of the missile attack.

The Ministry of Defense posted on Telegram: “This afternoon, the Kiev regime launched a missile strike on the city of Sevastopol.”

He added: “While repelling a missile attack, air defense systems shot down five missiles. As a result of the attack, the historic headquarters building of the Black Sea Fleet was damaged. According to available information, a soldier was killed.”

Russia’s official TASS agency reported that debris was “scattered hundreds of meters” after the missile attack. TASS added that a large number of ambulances were on their way to the site of the attack.

Razvozhayev also said that a piece of shrapnel fell near the Lunacharsky Theater.

The Russian-appointed governor said that operational services went to the site of the attack, and information about casualties is now being clarified.

In an update issued later Friday, Razvozaev said there was no longer a “missile or aviation threat” after the incident.

Razvozaev had earlier warned of the possibility of another attack and encouraged residents to avoid the city centre.

Ukrainian officials have not yet commented on the incident.

Over the past month, Ukraine has intensified its attacks on Russian military bases and other facilities, including air defenses, in Crimea.

In recent weeks, Ukraine launched a missile attack on a shipyard in Sevastopol. Officials said the Russian S-400 missile system was destroyed in Crimea, and more recently a Russian command center near Sevastopol was destroyed on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian Defense Intelligence spokesman Andriy Yusov told Ukrainian TV that “Crimea is still being used as a logistical center, among other things, for transferring enemy forces and means to other parts of the front,” and stated that “and in order to destroy this center.” Logistics, certain operations are used and carried out: at sea, on land, and in the air.