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Missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters

Coordinates: 44°36′46″N 33°31′26″E / 44.61278°N 33.52389°E / 44.61278; 33.52389
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Operation Crab Trap
Part of the Crimea attacks (2022–present)
TypeMissile strike
Location
Sevastopol Naval Base, Crimea

44°36′46″N 33°31′26″E / 44.61278°N 33.52389°E / 44.61278; 33.52389
Planned byUkraine Ukraine
Commanded byKyrylo Budanov
Target Black Sea Fleet
Date22 September 2023 (2023-09-22)
Executed by Main Directorate of Intelligence
CasualtiesPer Ukraine:
9 killed
16 injured
Per Russia:
1 unaccounted
6 injured

On 22 September 2023, Ukrainian Storm Shadow cruise missiles penetrated Russian air defenses and struck the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet in occupied Sevastopol, Crimea.[1] The strike was part of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, and was referred to as “Operation Crab Trap” by Kyrylo Budanov, the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR).[2][3][4]

Background

Main article: Crimea attacks (2022–present)

Beginning in July 2022, a series of explosions and fires occurred on the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula from where the Russian Army had launched its offensive on Southern Ukraine during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Occupied since 2014, Crimea was a base for the subsequent Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast and Russian occupation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The Ukrainian government has not accepted responsibility for all of the attacks, although it did later claim responsibility for the strike on the naval headquarters.[5]

Strike

At noon on 22 September 2023, at least two or three Storm Shadow cruise missiles, supplied by the UK,[6] struck the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. The event was filmed[7] and widely shared on social media, and confirmed by Russian installed governor Mikhail Razvozhayev. Russian state media agency TASS reported that the Ukrainian missile strike consisted of six missiles and that Russian air defense shot down five of them, but the one was able to hit the headquarters. Reporting of the damage varies: according to local officials, the damage was minimal, but according to many Western media outlets, the strike was a “severe” blow to Russia, with The Sun calling it a “fiery blitz”.[8]

Russian sources reported that only one soldier was unaccounted for, and nobody was injured.[9] But in an interview with Voice of America, Ukraine’s HUR Chief Kyrylo Budanov reported that the strike killed "at least nine people" and that 16 were injured, including high-ranking officers.[10] He also reported that "Among the wounded is the commander of the group, Colonel General Alexander Romanchuk, in very serious condition. The Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Oleg Tsekov, is unconscious. The number of casual military servicemen who are not employees of the headquarters is still being determined."[11][12] There were also reports circulated online that overall commander, Admiral Viktor Nikolayevich Sokolov, was killed in the strike, but neither Ukraine nor Russia have either confirmed nor denied the claims.[13][14][15]

As videos of the strike circulated on Russian social media the following day, TASS increased the number of injured to six but reiterated that nobody was killed and that the situation was under control. Razvozhayev reported that the fire raging through the headquarters was contained as of 23 September.[16]

Ukrainian presidential adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, stated that the strikes will continue until Crimea is "demilitarized and liberated", while the secretary of National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksiy Danilov, said there were two options for the future of Russia's Black Sea Fleet: voluntary or forced "self-neutralization".[17]

Russian-installed authorities reported another strike was thwarted near Bakhchysarai and that Crimea's internet was under an "unprecedented cyberattack."[17]

Another strike would take place on Sevastopol in less than 24-hours from the first. This time targeting the city's shipyards, namely the the 13th Ship Repair Plant.[18][19][20]

See also

References

  1. ^ Stern, David L. "Ukraine hits headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol". Washington Post. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Senior leadership among those killed in strike on Russia's Black Sea Fleet, Ukraine says". NBC News. 23 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  3. ^ Tanno, Maria Kostenko,Tim Lister,Sophie (23 September 2023). "Ukraine says strike on Russia's Black Sea Fleet HQ left dozens dead and wounded 'including senior leadership'". CNN. Retrieved 23 September 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Romanenko, Valentyna (23 September 2023). ""Crab trap": Special Operations Forces strike Black Sea Fleet HQ during commanders' meeting". Ukrainska Pravada.
  5. ^ Blann, Susie. "Drone explosion hits Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters". abcnews.go.com. ABC News Internet Ventures. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Ukraine mounts missile strike on Russian Black Sea fleet HQ in Crimea | Ukraine | The Guardian". amp.theguardian.com. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Watch: Moment missile hits Russia's Black Sea fleet HQ". BBC News. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Putin's feared Black Sea Fleet HQ is blown up 'by Brit Storm Shadow missile'". The Sun. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  9. ^ Voitovych, Olga; Gretener, Jessie; Lister, Tim; Chernova, Anna. "Ukraine launches missile attack on Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Crimea, officials say". CNN. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  10. ^ Kilner, James (23 September 2023). "Russian commanders killed in Storm Shadow missile strike". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  11. ^ "Ukrainian Military Claims Russian Navy Commanders Killed In Sevastopol Attack; De Facto Crimean Authorities Say Fresh Attack Thwarted". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  12. ^ "🔴 Live: 'Senior' Russian naval officers killed in HQ attack in Crimea, says Ukraine". France24. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  13. ^ Amran, Rachel. "UPDATE: 9 people killed, 16 injured in Ukrainian attack against Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  14. ^ "What we know so far about Ukraine's attack on Russia's Black Sea Fleet headquarters". Meduza. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  15. ^ Kostenko, Maria; Lister, Tim; Tanno, Sophie. "Ukraine says strike on Russia's Black Sea Fleet HQ left dozens dead and wounded 'including senior leadership'". CNN. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Ukraine air force chief mocks Moscow as missile hits key Russian navy base in Sevastopol, Crimea". CBS. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  17. ^ a b "Ukraine attacks Russian Black Sea navy HQ in Crimea". Reuters. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
  18. ^ "Ukrainian forces launch second missile strike on Crimean city of Sevastopol - CBS News". cbs. 23 September 2023.
  19. ^ "Explosion reported near Russian Black Sea Fleet shipyard in Sevastopol". Meduza. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  20. ^ "Crimean city of Sevastopol hit by new missile attack". euronews. 23 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
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