Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Chief, Kirilo Budanov, announced today that a missile strike targeting the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the occupied city of Sevastopol resulted in the death of nine individuals, including high-ranking Russian generals, and injured 16 others.
According to the Ukrainian news agency “Ukrinform”, Budanov, in his press statement, revealed that among the wounded were “Colonel General Romanshuk, the commander of Russian forces in the Zaporizhia region, and their Chief of Staff, General Tsikov, along with other leading figures.” However, Budanov did not confirm reports about the supposed death of Admiral Viktor Sokolov, the Black Sea Fleet’s commander, stating that he currently lacks information regarding Sokolov’s status.
Ukrainian defense forces previously reported their success in striking the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters in temporarily occupied Sevastopol.
Sevastopol is one of the major cities in the disputed Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Over the past month, Ukraine has intensified attacks on Russian military bases and other facilities, including air defenses in the Crimean Peninsula.
In related developments, the Military Administration of the Kherson region reported today that Russian forces bombarded the region 119 times in the past 24 hours. The head of the administration, Oleksandr Brokodin, said in a statement that Russian forces fired 598 shells at Kherson, using artillery, drones, mortar shells, tanks, and fighters.
Brokodin pointed out that the Russian army targeted residential areas in Kherson, leading to one death and three injuries.
The Crimean Peninsula has been a focal point of tension between Russia and Ukraine. In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, a move widely condemned by the international community and not recognized by Ukraine. Since then, the peninsula and surrounding areas, such as Sevastopol and Kherson, have seen sporadic clashes and military activities.
This recent missile strike in Sevastopol and the heightened bombardment of Kherson indicate an escalation in the ongoing conflict.
