Russian Cruise Missiles Destroyed In Crimea

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

MOSCOW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Ukraine’s defense ministry says Russian cruise missiles for use by Moscow’s feared Black Sea Fleet had been destroyed in another setback for Russia’s military.

“An explosion in Dzhankoi city in the north of temporarily occupied Crimea destroyed Russian Kalibr-KN cruise missiles as they were being transported by rail,” the Ukrainian ministry’s main intelligence directorate added late Monday.

It did not claim responsibility. Kyiv said the missiles, designed to be launched from surface ships of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, had an operational range of more than 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) on land and 375 kilometers (233 miles) at sea.

Ihor Ivin, the Russian-installed head of the Dzhankoi administration, was quoted as saying the city had come under attack from drones and that a 33-year-old man suffered a shrapnel injury from a downed drone. He was in the hospital and expected to survive, the official explained.

Russian state news agency Tass quoted Ivin as saying on Krym-24 TV that a house, school, and grocery store caught fire and the power grid sustained damage.

Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine’s interior ministry, released footage that showed the train station area in the city. The footage showed a loud single fiery blast followed by a plume of smoke in the night sky.

EMBARRASSING STRIKE

The reported strike arguably embarrassed Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hosted China’s leader Xi Jinping to gain more support for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine and increase cooperation with Beijing.

Monday night’s attack also underscored Russian concerns that Ukraine could strike at long-distance targets in Crimea, Ukraine’s peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014.

Russia’s Black Sea flagship vessel, Admiral Makarov, was damaged in a drone attack in October last year on the Crimean port of Sevastopol.

Earlier in April 2022, Ukraine claimed it hit and sank Russia’s flagship Black Sea missile cruiser, the Moskva, with its Neptune missiles. U.S. officials said they believe the Ukrainian version.

The 510-crew warship led Russia’s naval assault on Ukraine, which made it an important symbolic and military target.

The Moskva, named after Russia’s capital, gained notoriety after calling on Ukrainian border troops defending Snake Island in the Black Sea to surrender.

They memorably radioed a message of refusal laden with expletives.

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