Ukraine launched a massive attack on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters in Crimea which injured 24 people and set alight two ships that were under repair, Russian authorities have said.
Russia’s Defence Ministry said Ukraine launched 10 missiles at the Sevastopol Shipyard in Russian-annexed Crimea early on Wednesday and three drones at Russian ships in the Black Sea.
Footage showed the scale of the attack, the largest of the war so far on the city. A strategically important ship building and repair yard was engulfed in flames but a power plant and other Black Sea naval facilities were also hit, it appeared.
Seven missiles were shot down and all the sea drones have been destroyed, Russian military said, but some of the missiles damaged two ships that were being repaired in the shipyard.
The ministry said three kamikaze sea drones were destroyed by the patrol ship Vasily Bykov.
The shipyard was set up by the Imperial Navy in 1783 and is the largest in the region. Putin uses the city - the main Black Sea Fleet port - as a hub for strikes on Ukraine.
Moscow-appointed governor of occupied Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, confirmed the missile attack on Telegram, posting a photo of himself standing by the fire.
“I am at the scene of a fire on the southern site of Sevmorzavod [Sevastopol Shipyard],” he said.
“All operational services are working on the spot, there is no danger to civilian facilities in the city.
“As a result of the attack, according to preliminary information, a total of 24 people were injured, four are in a moderate condition.
“All necessary assistance to the victims is provided in full.”
The strikes came at 3.18am local time, some six time zones west of Vostochny cosmodrome in eastern Russia where President Vladimir Putin met with the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
One eyewitness said: “This is a f****** nightmare.
“I live on the northern side, I heard missiles passing over us towards the bay, and the explosions started…
“Three of four missiles were right over us.”
Another Sevastopol resident said there was “a horrendous explosion right outside my window - the sky was on fire.”
“I woke from three strong explosion….windows were shattered,” said another.
Another said: “My whole block of flats is jumping as our air defence is working.”
One more said: “I heard a strong low sound like a missile going in the sky, then a huge flash of flight, a strong explosion, and then three more flashes of light.”
Later an explosion was heard in the Streletskaya Bay area. It was unclear if this was a fresh attack or Russian air defences.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian officials, who almost never acknowledge Kyiv’s responsibility for attacks on Crimea or Russian regions that have become regular in recent months.
The attack came even as Moscow launched drones against the Odesa region in the Ukraine in the pre-dawn hours. The attacks damaged port and civilian infrastructure in Odesa’s Izmail district and wounded six people, three seriously, Regional Governor Oleh Kiper said.
Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted 32 of 44 Shahed-type drones launched over Ukraine overnight, with most of the them launched toward the southern parts of the Odesa district.
