Ukraine Launches Missile Attack on Sevastopol in Crimea

By IndraStra Global News Team

Cover Image Attribute: A satellite image shows smoke billowing from a Russian Black Sea Navy HQ after a missile strike in Sevastopol, Crimea, on September 22. / Source: Planet Labs PBC/Handout

In a turn of events that heightened the already strained situation in the area, Ukraine carried out another missile attack on the Russian-controlled Crimean Peninsula, specifically aiming at the city of Sevastopol. This strike occurred within 24 hours of a previous assault on the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which led to the disappearance of a serviceman and inflicted substantial damage to the facility.
Sevastopol was placed under an air raid alert for approximately an hour as debris from intercepted missiles fell near a pier. Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev confirmed this on the messaging app Telegram, noting that a missile fragment had also landed in a northern Sevastopol park, necessitating a temporary cordon. Ferry traffic in the area was briefly halted but later resumed. Additionally, loud explosions were reported near Vilne in northern Crimea, accompanied by rising plumes of smoke, according to a pro-Ukraine Telegram news channel that monitors developments on the peninsula.
The Crimean Peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, has been a recurring target for Ukrainian forces since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Ukraine's intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, claimed that at least nine individuals were killed, and 16 others sustained injuries due to the attack on Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters the previous day. Budanov further stated that Alexander Romanchuk, a Russian general in command of forces along the crucial southeastern front line, was in critical condition following the assault.
It is essential to note that Budanov's assertions could not be independently verified, and he did not provide details on whether Western-made missiles were used in Friday's attack. Initially, the Russian Defense Ministry reported one service member killed at the Black Sea Fleet headquarters but later issued a statement that he was missing.
Ukraine's military disclosed further information regarding Friday's attack, revealing that the air force had executed 12 strikes on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters, concentrating on areas housing personnel, military equipment, and weapons. They also confirmed that two anti-aircraft missile systems and four Russian artillery units were successfully targeted. Crimea plays a pivotal role in supporting Russia's extensive invasion of Ukraine. Sevastopol, as the primary base of Russia's Black Sea Fleet since the 19th century, has been of particular significance for naval operations since the outbreak of the war.
Recent weeks have seen an increase in Ukraine's focus on naval facilities in Crimea while its summer counteroffensive experiences gradual progress in eastern and southern Ukraine, as the Institute for the Study of War reported. Military experts argue that Ukraine must sustain its attacks on Crimea to erode Russian morale and weaken its military capabilities.
In another significant development, U.S. President Joe Biden assured his Ukrainian counterpart during their White House meeting on Thursday that the United States would provide Ukraine with an advanced version of the long-range ATACMS ballistic missiles. However, specifics regarding the quantity and delivery timeline were not disclosed, as two U.S. officials who chose to remain anonymous shared this information. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian leaders have consistently urged Western allies to provide long-distance weaponry that would enable Kyiv to conduct strategic strikes behind Russian lines while avoiding retaliatory fire. However, the U.S. had been hesitant, fearing that such weapons could escalate the conflict. The Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, has the potential to extend Ukraine's striking range to about 180 miles (300 kilometers), though shorter-range variants of the missile are also available.
In a separate development, Ukraine's military reported that Russia deployed 15 Iranian-made Shahed drones in the front-line Zaporizhzhia region in the southeast and Dnipropetrovsk province farther north. Ukrainian forces claimed to have successfully destroyed 14 of these drones.
Meanwhile, regional officials in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson reported an alarming escalation in Russian attacks. Zaporizhzhia regional Governor Yuri Malashko disclosed that Russia carried out 86 strikes on 27 settlements within the province over the previous day, resulting in casualties and significant damage. In Kherson, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported the tragic death of a 65-year-old woman and injuries to a 78-year-old man due to Russian artillery fire and drone attacks. Prokudin also noted earlier casualties caused by Russian shelling, with 25 shells targeting Kherson, straddling the Dneiper River and serving as the contact line between the warring sides. Among the targets were residential areas, medical and educational institutions, government-built stations, critical infrastructure, and a penitentiary.
In the eastern Donetsk region, where intense fighting persists on the outskirts of Bakhmut, Russian shelling claimed the life of one civilian and wounded another on Friday and overnight, according to local Governor Ihor Moroz.  

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