Ukraine Destroys Russia’s Azov And Yamal Landing Ships And A Communications Centre Off Crimea

Ukraine’s military has stated that it hit two huge landing ships belonging to Russia in overnight attacks on the occupied Crimean peninsula along with other infrastructure that was used by the Russian navy in the Black Sea.

The Ukrainian defence forces hit the Yamal and Azov massive landing vessels, a communications centre, and several infrastructural facilities of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in temporarily occupied Crimea, per Ukraine’s military.

The statement of the military did not state how it struck the targets. However, a Moscow-deployed official in the zone reported a significant Ukrainian air attack and mentioned the air defences had reportedly shot down over ten missiles over the port of Sevastopol.

It was the most significant attack in recent times, per Mikhail Razvozhayev, Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol.

He stated that a 65-year-old individual had been killed, four were severely injured, and transport infrastructure, including buses and passenger boats, were partly damaged, with the windows broken on the five ships.

He added three passenger buses, one trolley bus, and 13 school buses were among the damaged vehicles.

Social media videos reflected a massive blast in the city, sending a fireball and thick black smoke into the air. What seemed to be Russia’s air defences intercepted the incoming projectiles.

Ukraine claims to have impaired around one-third of the Russian Black Sea Fleet since Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, particularly in attacks at night with sea-based drones loaded with explosives.

Satellite photographs reflect that Russia moved a significant portion of its fleet further to the East—to the port of Novorossiysk—during the spate of attacks. Patrick Bury, a defence and security analyst at the University of Bath, said the attack would not impact the ongoing war.

Until some weeks back, this would’ve been important as the Russians had been using landing crafts to resupply troops down to the South. Bury informed Al Jazeera that they have engineered a railway line, so it will not have a highly strategic impact.

However, he stated that pushing the Black Sea Fleet further East and out of the Black Sea waters permits Ukraine to have more grain exports, which are essential to the war economy.

Russia has escalated its air attacks against Ukraine in recent times in what it claims is retaliation for a wave of Ukrainian strikes on its border regions. On Friday, during the early hours, Moscow launched the greatest aerial barrages against the Ukrainian energy sector from the beginning of the war.

Moscow has resumed its targeting of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. On Sunday, Kyiv and Lviv came under a massive air attack launched by Russia, per Ukraine’s officials. They stated that when there were zero casualties, Russia fired 28 drones and 29 cruise missiles at the territory overnight.

Russia’s forces seek to tap their benefit in workforce and ammunition as Kyiv encounters delays in the supplies of additional Western aid. On Saturday, Moscow claimed to have seized a village on the western outskirts of Bakhmut based in eastern Ukraine.

Its capture in the last month of Adviivka, close to the Russian-acquired stronghold of Donetsk, was the first-ever significant territorial gain done by Russia since Bakhmut was seized about ten months ago.

Vladimir Putin maintained that success as a sign that Russia’s forces returned to the offensive. Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia has won the winter, and he thinks that the momentum has reportedly shifted to Russia’s forces on the ground. A proof is Adviivka, Bury stated.

The question now is whether something is brewing in May once the mud starts drying in that area of Ukraine. Hence, he stated that they have to wait and watch, adding that the Russians will do their best to camouflage troop build-ups if a spring offensive is on the cards.

In the meantime, Poland’s army stated that one of Russia’s missiles that was fired at western Ukraine entered its airspace. Polish airspace had been breached by one of the cruise missiles fired during the night by air forces of Russia’s Federation, the army mentioned on X.

The object flew through Polish airspace above Oserdow, located in Lublin, and stayed there for 39 seconds. Poland has long been a staunch ally of Ukraine (its neighbour). In the two years since the invasion, Poland mentioned on Sunday that it would be demanding an explanation from Moscow.

Reference: Aljazeera

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