One person killed in Ukrainian attack on Russian warship in Crimea
The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed that Ukrainian forces damaged the Russian landing ship Novocherkassk during a missile strike at its home base in Feodosia. Two Ukrainian Su-24 jets were downed by Russian anti-aircraft weaponry near the city of Nikolaev during the engagement.
The attack on the Crimean port city also resulted in one casualty and two injuries, according to Sergey Aksyonov, the head of the Russian federal subject. Blast waves caused by explosions at the military facility damaged nearby buildings’ windows, but civilian infrastructure remained unharmed.
Ukrainian General Nikolay Oleshchuk, commander of the nation’s Air Force, suggested that the Novocherkassk suffered the same fate as the Moskva, the former flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, which allegedly sank after a Ukrainian attack last year. Oleshchuk praised the Ukrainian military pilots involved in the night operation but did not confirm any losses on Kiev’s side.
Landing ships like the Novocherkassk are primarily used for transporting large military cargoes and deploying land forces during amphibious operations. The Novocherkassk, belonging to the Ropucha class produced in Poland from the 1970s to the 1990s, is capable of carrying ten main battle tanks and 340 troops.
The specific weaponry used in the night strike was not identified by Russia or Ukraine. However, some military experts speculate that the Storm Shadow air-to-surface cruise missiles, provided by the UK to Kiev earlier this year, were employed.
This type of weapon was reportedly utilized in a September attack on a military dock in Sevastopol, which damaged the Rostov-on-Don, a Kilo-class diesel-electric attack submarine, and the Minsk, a Ropucha-class landing ship.
In other developments, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the liberation of Maryinka in the Donetsk People’s Republic on Monday. The city had long been a significant stronghold for the Ukrainian army. However, a Ukrainian military spokesperson asserted that fighting was ongoing in the area. Notably, Kiev’s Tuesday update on the frontline situation did not mention the town, contradicting previous statements.
As tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate, it remains imperative to closely monitor the situation and its potential ramifications. Both sides have suffered casualties and significant military damages, emphasizing the need for de-escalation and diplomatic solutions to prevent further bloodshed and instability in the region.
