Russia has confirmed that one of its warships, the large landing ship Novocherkassk, sustained damage during an attack in the Black Sea in the port of Feodosiya in Russian-occupied Crimea. The strike occurred overnight on Monday, with the Russian Ministry of Defence attributing the damage to an attack by Ukrainian aircraft carrying guided missiles.
The head of the Ukrainian Air Force had earlier stated that Ukrainian warplanes successfully destroyed the Russian warship in the port. The attack resulted in one reported fatality, according to Sergei Aksyonov, the Russian-installed head of Crimea. Additionally, six buildings were damaged in the strike, leading to the relocation of a small number of individuals to temporary accommodation centres.
Despite the damages and casualties, the port’s transport operations are reportedly functioning as normal. Aksyonov further mentioned that the attack on the Novocherkassk warship did not disrupt the overall operations of the port.
Feodosiya is located in Crimea, a region internationally recognized as part of Ukraine. However, it has been under Russian occupation since 2014 when Russia seized and annexed the peninsula, a move widely condemned by the international community. The recent attack highlights the ongoing tensions in the region and the volatility surrounding the territorial disputes between Ukraine and Russia.
The incident is likely to escalate tensions between the two countries, and the international community will be closely monitoring developments in the aftermath of this attack.
Kiki Garba
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