Ukrainian troops raise flag in Crimea after night-time coastal raid, Kyiv says

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Ukraine mentioned one in all its elite squads raided the western coast of the Crimean peninsula and killed Russian troopers — a daring incursion in Kyiv’s in any other case struggling counteroffensive towards Moscow’s occupying forces.

Whereas Ukrainian elite squads have raided enemy positions throughout the Dnipro river a number of instances up to now, that is the primary time officers have confirmed an incursion into Crimea. One of many targets of Kyiv’s counteroffensive that began in June is to liberate territories and finally reduce off Moscow’s land entry to Crimea. However progress has been gradual, primarily because of Russia’s fortified defence strains, irritating Kyiv’s allies.

The night-time raid within the early hours of Thursday concerned a velocity boat crossing the Black Sea and touchdown on the peninsula that Moscow has occupied since 2014 and used as a staging floor for its full-scale invasion final 12 months, officers mentioned.

“Particular models on watercraft landed on the shore within the space of Olenivka and Mayak settlements,” Ukraine’s navy intelligence unit (GUR) mentioned. Throughout their mission, Ukrainian troopers “engaged in fight” and killed a number of Russian troops, whereas additionally destroying a few of their tools, GUR added. No casualties had been recorded on the Ukrainian facet, it claimed.

The raid passed off on the identical day as Ukraine celebrates its independence from the Soviet Union.

In a video launched by GUR, troops carrying evening imaginative and prescient goggles may be seen racing in a high-speed boat at evening and in a while placing up a Ukrainian flag on a constructing, saying: “GUR are already in Crimea” and “Glory to Ukraine.” The video ends with the sounds of machine gun hearth because the troops rush away by sea in a ship.

Russian officers didn’t instantly affirm or deny the incident.

Baza, a Russian social media channel thought of near Russia’s regulation enforcement, reported taking pictures within the space and cited eyewitnesses claiming males wearing darkish had landed on the coast in a single day.

Forward of the raid, GRU posted aerial footage from the Cape Tarkhankut on Crimea’s western coast, exhibiting a profitable strike blowing up a Russian S-400 air defence system.

Utilizing domestically produced assault drones and long-range missiles supplied by western allies, Ukraine’s forces have routinely focused and struck Russian navy installations in addition to logistical provide strains in Crimea, together with bridges, air bases and the Black Sea Fleet primarily based within the port metropolis of Sevastopol.

Denting Russia’s firepower from Crimea can also be key to breaking Russia’s Black Sea blockade of Ukraine’s grain-exporting ports within the southern Odesa area.

Ukrainian forces in current weeks have been slowly advancing in the direction of the Azov Sea within the south-east of the nation, in a bid to chop off Russia’s forces from Crimea.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed to liberate Crimea and the remainder of the territory nonetheless occupied by Russia and rebuild the picturesque peninsula as a world vacationer haven.

“Russia precipitated the isolation of Crimea, we are going to return the entire world to Crimea,” Zelenskyy mentioned on Wednesday, as he hosted a number of western leaders for the third annual Crimea Platform conference in Kyiv.