Ukraine has announced that dozens of individuals, including "high-ranking leaders in the Russian Navy," were killed or injured in a missile attack on the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the coastal city of Sevastopol, Crimea, yesterday (Friday). The Ukrainian military stated, "Details of the attack will be revealed as soon as possible, resulting in the death and injury of dozens of occupiers, including high-ranking officials in the fleet," adding that the attack occurred during a "meeting of the Russian Navy leadership."
Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov revealed that the attack led to the death of "at least 9 people," including generals, according to his remarks to Voice of America. Budanov refrained from commenting on whether Western-made missiles were used in the attack.
On another note, Budanov acknowledged that the "Abrams" tanks received from the United States could only be used for a narrow range of tasks, as they "would not withstand for long" in conventional battles. Budanov, in an interview with the "War Zone" site, stated, "They should be used in very specific and well-prepared operations, because if used on the front lines in conventional battles, they will not last long on the battlefield, and they should be used to execute breakthroughs, but these operations must be well-prepared."
It is worth mentioning that the Crimean Peninsula belonged to Ukraine before being annexed by Russia in 2014, and plays a vital role in the ongoing conflict between the two countries. The city of Sevastopol, which hosts the Russian military headquarters, is considered a strategic location for securing supplies for Russian forces in southern Ukraine and executing missile strikes.
Additionally, the Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhaev, announced via Telegram the enemy's missile attack on the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet. According to circulating information, the attack caused thick smoke to rise from the headquarters, and parts of the missiles fell near a neighboring theater. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that there was a casualty from this attack, later clarified to be a missing person.
After a period of silence, the Ukrainian army praised the execution of "a successful strike on the headquarters of the Russian fleet command in the temporarily occupied city of Sevastopol." While detailed information about the extent of the damage remains scarce, Russian authorities confirmed that the historical building of the headquarters was damaged.
On the other hand, Razvozhaev reported that windows in ten residential buildings in downtown Sevastopol were shattered as a result of the strike, stating that no one was injured from this incident. Debris from the missiles and damage were reported to have spread hundreds of meters away from the site of the attack, according to a correspondent from the Russian news agency TASS. The Russian military confirmed that five missiles were launched at the Crimean Peninsula.
