Moscow confirmed a Ukrainian attack on the Crimean port of Feodosia, revealing damage to a significant Russian landing ship and reporting a casualty, in a development escalating tensions in the region.
According to the Russian defence ministry, cited by Interfax, Ukraine deployed air-launched missiles in the assault on Feodosia, resulting in damage to the ‘Novocherkassk’ large landing ship stationed there. The ship, designed for amphibious landings and equipped to transport armoured vehicles, suffered significant harm in the attack.
“The situation is grave, and our immediate concern is the safety of our personnel,” stated a Russian defence official in response to the assault on Feodosia.
Footage circulated on Russian news platforms via Telegram displayed intense explosions and fires raging within the port premises, corroborating the severity of the attack.
Sergei Aksyonov, the appointed governor of Crimea, conveyed via Telegram that casualties were reported, with one person confirmed dead, two injured, and six evacuated from their residences in the aftermath of the strike.
Despite limited battlefield advancements by the Ukrainian counteroffensive, several targeted attacks on Crimea, the hub of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, have inflicted substantial damage.
In a boastful statement on Telegram, the commander of Ukraine’s air force, Mykola Oleshchuk, lauded the precision of the strike: “And the fleet in Russia is getting smaller and smaller! Thanks to the Air Force pilots and everyone involved for the filigree work!”
The Russian-installed administration in Crimea advised against train travel from Feodosia, redirecting commuters to alternative nearby stations amidst the ongoing tensions.
Feodosia, with a population of approximately 69,000 residents, occupies a strategic location on the southern coast of the Crimean Peninsula, a region annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014, provoking widespread international condemnation.
