Ukraine launches attacks on the annexed Crimean peninsula

Ukraine initiated attacks on the annexed Crimean peninsula early Sunday (Mar 24), claiming to have “successfully hit” two large landing ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, along with a communications center and various infrastructure facilities. The Ukrainian military did not specify the method used to target these sites, but an official appointed by Moscow in the region reported a significant Ukrainian air assault, asserting that the air defenses had intercepted and destroyed more than 10 missiles over the Crimean port of Sevastopol.

In its statement, Ukraine’s military declared, “The defense forces of Ukraine successfully hit the Azov and Yamal large landing ships, a communications center, and also several infrastructure facilities of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in temporarily occupied Crimea.”

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-appointed governor of Sevastopol, conveyed via the Telegram messaging application that transport infrastructure, including passenger boats, suffered partial damage, as reported by Reuters. “Of the six boats, five had their windows broken … During the day, the windows of the damaged boats will be replaced and as they are restored, they will be brought back online,” he remarked. Razvozhayev also mentioned damage to several vehicles during the nighttime attacks, including three passenger buses, 13 school buses, and one trolleybus.

Simultaneously, Russia launched an aerial assault on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and the western region of Lviv on the same day, according to reports from AFP. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko alerted residents via Telegram about explosions in the capital, urging them not to leave shelters. Lviv regional governor Maksym Kozytskyi confirmed that the Stryi district, located south of Lviv, was also under attack.

Amidst these developments, Ukraine’s air defense forces claimed to have intercepted about a dozen missiles launched by Russia, as stated by Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, on Telegram. Preliminary information suggested no casualties or significant damage resulting from these attacks.