Ukraine Strikes Sevastopol, Crimea

On Saturday morning, Ukraine launched a missile attack on Sevastopol, located in the occupied Crimean Peninsula, according to a Russian-installed official. This attack came after a previous assault on the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which resulted in a missing serviceman and significant damage to the main building.

Sevastopol was put on high alert for an hour due to debris from intercepted missiles falling near a pier. Ferry traffic in the area was temporarily halted but later resumed. Additionally, loud blasts were heard near Vilne in northern Crimea, accompanied by rising smoke clouds. Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, has been a frequent target for Ukrainian forces since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Casualties and Details of the Attacks

According to Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, at least nine people were killed and 16 others were wounded as a result of Ukraine’s attack on the Black Sea Fleet. He also mentioned that Alexander Romanchuk, a commanding Russian general along the southeastern front line, was in a critical condition. However, Budanov’s claims could not be independently verified, and there was no information on the use of Western-made missiles in the strike.

The Russian Defense Ministry initially reported the death of one service member at the Black Sea Fleet headquarters but later stated that the serviceman was missing. Ukraine’s military provided further details of the attack, stating that 12 strikes were conducted on the headquarters, targeting areas with concentrated personnel, military equipment, and weapons. Two anti-aircraft missile systems and four Russian artillery units were reportedly hit.

Strategic Importance and Ongoing Conflict

Crimea has played a vital role in supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Sevastopol, the main base of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet since the 19th century, holds particular significance for naval operations. While Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive is progressing slowly in the east and south, it has been increasingly targeting naval facilities in Crimea. Military experts argue that these attacks are crucial to undermine Russian morale and weaken their military forces.

In a separate development, Ukraine’s military reported that Russia launched 15 Iranian-made drones in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Ukraine claimed to have destroyed 14 of these drones. Additionally, Russia conducted 86 strikes on 27 settlements in Zaporizhzhia, resulting in civilian casualties, including the death of an elderly person. The neighboring Kherson region also experienced Russian shelling, causing one fatality and three injuries.

Residential areas, along with medical and educational institutions, government-built stations, critical infrastructure, and a penitentiary, were targeted by the shelling.