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Ukraine launched an “amphibious assault” on Russian-annexed Crimea, Kyiv officials said on Thursday, after Ukraine said it had taken out a Russian air defense system in the west of the peninsula.
Ukrainian military forces landed in Crimea with seaborne vessels and aircraft, Kyiv’s military intelligence agency said on Thursday, in comments reported by Ukrainian media.
“The units of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense landed as part of a special operation, [and] all tasks were completed,” said Andrey Yusov, a spokesperson for the agency.
On Wednesday, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency had said it had destroyed a Russian S-400 air defense system in Crimea at around 10 a.m. local time at Cape Tarkhankut.
SEGA VOLSKII/AFP via Getty Images
“As a result of the explosion, the installation itself, the missiles installed on it and the personnel were completely destroyed,” Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (GUR) said, publishing footage showing a large explosion and a dense cloud of smoke rising after an apparent strike.
“This is a painful blow to the air defense system of the occupiers,” the military intelligence agency added.
Russian military bloggers noted Ukrainian activity in western Crimea on Wednesday and Thursday, supporting reports of Kyiv’s fighters around the Cape Tarkhankut area.
Ukrainian forces “launched a combined attack on Cape Tarkhankut in Crimea, where several Russian military facilities are located,” influential Russian military blogger Rybar said on Thursday morning, saying drones used in the attack were intercepted by Russian air defenses. The account said on Wednesday that Ukraine had been “actively monitoring” the area for several weeks.
This story will be updated shortly with additional information.
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