On Friday, at least one Ukrainian missile struck the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, while a significant cyberattack disrupted internet services on the peninsula.
The Russian defense ministry initially reported one serviceman as killed in the attack but later revised the statement, stating that the man was missing. According to the ministry, air defenses successfully intercepted and downed five missiles.
Ukraine’s military confirmed its responsibility for the attack on the Russian Black Sea fleet’s headquarters. They stated, “On Sept 22 close to 12 noon (0900 GMT), Ukraine’s defense forces successfully struck the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea fleet command in the temporarily occupied Sevastopol,” on the Telegram messaging app.
The Russian-appointed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, reported that the attack had caused a fire, and people were advised to avoid the city center where the navy building is situated. Firefighters were working at the scene, and some roads were closed. Razvozhayev confirmed there were no civilian casualties or damage to civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine has escalated attacks in the Black Sea and Crimea, which was seized and annexed by Russia in 2014, as Ukrainian forces continue a nearly four-month-long counter-offensive. Ukrainian officials have justified these attacks on Russian military targets in Russian-held territory.
Oleksiy Danilov, the secretary of Ukraine’s security council, stated that Russia’s Black Sea fleet had two options for the future: voluntary self-neutralization or forced measures, suggesting that the latter could involve dismantling the fleet.
Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak asserted that Crimea would ultimately be demilitarized and liberated, while Moscow has firmly stated it will never relinquish control over the peninsula. Russian authorities also reported air defenses intercepting another missile near the town of Bakhchysarai on Friday.
In a separate development, Oleg Kryuchkov, an aide to Crimea’s head Sergei Aksyonov, reported that internet service providers on the peninsula were experiencing an “unprecedented cyberattack,” resulting in service interruptions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy embarked on an official visit to Canada on Friday, where he received a warm welcome. Canada, a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, is expected to announce increased military aid to Ukraine during Zelenskiy’s visit.
During a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Trudeau expressed Canada’s unwavering support for Ukraine. Zelenskiy thanked Canada for its military and humanitarian assistance. The visit also included discussions on defense cooperation and the signing of treaties to bolster economic ties.
In anticipation of Zelenskiy’s visit, additional police were deployed in central Ottawa, with road closures leading to Parliament Hill.
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