Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kiev had weakened Russia's military capabilities in the Black Sea (Illustration photo: BN).
The Ukrainian military said that on November 4, they raided a Russian shipbuilding and repair yard in the city of Kerch, on the Crimean peninsula.
"On the evening of November 4, the Ukrainian army successfully raided the port infrastructure of the Zalyv (or Butoma) shipbuilding and repair plant in the city of Kerch," the Ukrainian army said, but did not provide further details.
Mykola Oleshchuk, commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, said on Telegram that the shipyard that was attacked is home to one of Russia's most modern naval ships.
“I think another Russian ship will share the same fate as the Moskva,” the Ukrainian commander said, referring to the Moskva cruiser of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet that sank after being hit by a Ukrainian missile in April last year.
"We are waiting for confirmation once again. I would like to thank the pilots of the tactical aviation of the Air Force for the successful cruise missile strike on the infrastructure at the Zalyv shipyard in Kerch, where one of the most modern ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet is stationed," he wrote.
The statement was made after reports of a series of large explosions in Crimea on the evening of November 4.
Sergei Aksyonov, a Russian-appointed Crimean official, said air defense systems around the shipyard were activated, intercepting Ukrainian cruise missiles.
"Missile fragments fell in the area of one of the shipyard's floating docks. There were no casualties," Aksyonov wrote on Telegram.
Military analyst Andriy Tsaplienko, citing a source familiar with the matter, said the small missile corvette Askold, one of Russia's most modern ships, was damaged in the attack.
Reuters has not been able to verify the information. Russia has not commented.
Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014 after a controversial referendum. Crimea became an important logistics hub for Russian forces involved in the military campaign in Ukraine.
In recent months, Ukraine has increased its attacks in the area to disrupt the logistics system and erode the capabilities of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
In September, the Ukrainian military announced a raid on a shipyard in the Crimean city of Sevastopol. Moscow later confirmed that the raid damaged two of its warships, but did not specify the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, Kiev said that a Russian submarine and a large landing ship were destroyed "beyond repair."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier this week that the Ukrainian military had succeeded in reducing Russia’s military power in the Black Sea, something that, combined with massive support from its allies, could lead to Ukraine’s ultimate victory over Russia.
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