Ukraine attacked a Russian ship repair base in Crimea early Wednesday morning. This is Ukraine’s biggest attack on the port since the war started.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that the Ukrainian army attacked the Sergo Ordzhonikidze shipyard in Sevastopol. The shipyard is used by Russia to fix its Black Sea Fleet. The attack involved 10 cruise missiles and three unmanned boats.
The ministry stated that their air defense forces successfully destroyed seven missiles, and their patrol ship Vasily Bykov destroyed all of the boats.
However, Russian officials have said that the attack caused harm to two Russian warships and 24 individuals were hurt.
Mikhail Razvozhaev, the governor chosen by Russia to govern Sevastopol, the biggest city in Crimea, confirmed a big attack that happened. Crimea was taken over by Moscow’s forces in 2014 without following the law. Videos and pictures that are said to be from the area, some shared by Razvozhaev, show a big cloud of smoke and a raging fire.
Razvozhaev said he was at a place called Sevmorzavod. 24 people were hurt in the attack, with 4 in okay condition.
Another Russian military blogger, who is not officially recognized, mentioned that two ships were harmed. One was a diesel-electric submarine called “Rostov-on-Don,” and the other was a big landing ship named “Minsk,” which had a fire incident. Both boats were being fixed in a special area without water. CNN wasn’t able to confirm the story themselves.
Another account that was not official said that Ukraine used missiles called Storm Shadow that were made in Britain.
The leader of Ukraine’s air force, Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, said on Wednesday: “While the people who took over are still getting over the attack at night in Sevastopol, I want to thank the pilots of Ukraine’s air force for their great job in fighting. To be continued. ”
Tag: Russian officials
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Russian shipyard in Crimea hit by Ukrainian missiles
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Russia claims sending F-16s to Ukraine poses “an enormous risk
Russian officials have warned Western nations that giving Ukraine F-16 fighter jets will come with “colossal risks.”
On the second day of the G7 meeting, as world leaders are gathering in Japan, Alexander Grushko, the deputy foreign minister of Russia, delivered a warning to them.
We can see that Western nations continue to adhere to an escalation scenario, which entails great consequences for them, he told the Russian state news outlet Tass.
In any case, when making plans, we will consider it.
‘We have all the necessary means to achieve our goals.’
US President Joe Biden reportedly told G7 allies on Friday he will allow Ukrainian pilots to be trained on American-made F-16 fighter jets.
G7 leaders, from some of the world’s wealthiest nations, issued a joint statement yesterday saying: ‘We hereby pledge, from Hiroshima, the “symbol of peace”, that G7 members will mobilize all our policy instruments and, together with Ukraine, make every effort to bring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine as soon as possible.’
Kyiv has since the start of the more than year-long war begged Western officials for the versatile supersonic fighter jet.
As Ukraine is pounded by Russian missiles and drones, Kyiv officials say the jet’s powerful radar can spot targets from far away to shoot them down, proving a vital line of defence.
But Biden resisted, with him and other Western politicians wary that doing so could provoke Moscow if used to strike deep within Russian territory.
While some NATO countries have said they’re happy to hand their F-16s over to Kyiv, this would need America’s approval as it manufactures them.
US National security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in Hiroshima this morning that the West has so far ‘focused on providing Ukraine with the systems weapon and training it needs to conduct offensive operations this spring and summer’.
This would be the latest in Washington’s ‘long-term commitment to Ukraine’s self-defence’.
‘As the training unfolds in the coming months, we will work with our allies to determine when planes will be delivered, who will be delivering them, and how many,’ Sullivan added.
He said that Biden will speak with G7 leaders about how best to supply Kyiv with the jets.
Though, delivering the aircraft could take months – likely too late for Ukraine to use in its looming counteroffensive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted yesterday: ‘I welcome the historic decision of the United States and @POTUS to support an international fighter jet coalition.
‘This will greatly enhance our army in the sky.’
Zekensky landed in Japan earlier this morning ahead of meetings with G7 leaders tomorrow.
Greeted by Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister’s office said Sunak welcomes the ‘very positive progress’ on providing Ukraine with fighter jets.
‘The Prime Minister reiterated that the UK would continue to provide Ukraine with the military assistance needed to win the war and secure a just peace,’ Downing Street said.
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Putin plans to make it more difficult for Russians to avoid being drafted
The likelihood that Vladimir Putin would order a new round of mobilization for Moscow’s conflict in Ukraine has increased as he prepares to sign a law making it harder for Russians to avoid military conscription.
In addition to traditional letters, the law would permit internet distribution of military call-up documents. It would also prohibit those who must serve in the military from traveling abroad.
Following a botched order in September that led to a large number of Russians fleeing the country, Russian officials have refuted claims that the bill paves the way for a new round of mobilization.
But the strict new rules make it harder and more difficult for Russian men to avoid an order should it be made. Under the bill, the Kremlin would consider Russians notified from the moment they receive a summons, even if they haven’t seen the call-up, and would then ban them from leaving Russia.
The bill passed through its third reading in the lower chamber of Russia’s parliament Tuesday. It is now set to be approved by the upper chamber, the Federation Council, on Wednesday, and finally signed into law by Putin; both steps are considered a formality.
Asked during a regular call with reporters if the Kremlin is concerned that the proposed law, if passed, would trigger another wave of mass exodus of Russians, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: “Absolutely not. It has nothing to do with mobilization, it has to do with military registration.
“There is no second wave,” Peskov said after being pressed further to respond to rumors of new attempt at mass mobilization.
The initial effort in September was greeted by chaos, as scores of Russians headed to the border to avoid being sent to fight. Protests also erupted in ethnic minority regions, and some military enlistment offices have been set on fire. The original announcement also sparked rare anti-war demonstrations across Russia.
Officials said the draft’s target of recruiting 300,000 personnel had been met by late October, and brought the drive to an end.
Currently, conscription documents in Russia must be hand-delivered by the local military enlistment office or through an employer. The new bill makes an electronic summons – uploaded to a government portal called Gosuslugi – equal to the traditional method, and does not take into account whether it has been read.
Though the Kremlin has been quick to downplay the significance of the move, its provisions and timing are convenient for a military bogged down in stalemate in its ground campaign in eastern Ukraine, after months of grinding combat which has bled their manpower and weaponry.
Western officials last week told CNN they believe Russia has a problem generating “trained military manpower.”
“[Russia has] acknowledged that they needed 400,000 more troops and that’s not just for the conflict [in Ukraine], but also to fulfill new formations which are going to be put on the new border with NATO and Finland,” the officials said in a briefing on Wednesday, answering a question from CNN.
“How they generate that is unclear at the moment,” the officials added, noting that a new wave of call-ups would pose risks for Moscow. “Whether the population can sustain another round of mobilization and whether the Kremlin actually wants to test the population’s resilience to that it is unclear at the moment, but the fact they haven’t done would indicate to us that they have some concerns about that.”
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At least 20 dead in Russia illegal care home fire
At least 20 people have been killed after a blaze swept through a home for the elderly in the Siberian city of Kemerovo, Russian officials say.
Another six people were injured. The entire top floor of the the two-storey wooden building was gutted by the overnight fire.
Initial reports say it may have been caused by a faulty heating boiler.
The private home for the elderly was operating illegally, officials were quoted as saying by Tass news agency.
Dozens of firefighters were deployed and the blaze was extinguished early on Saturday.
The governor of the region said all similar facilities would now be inspected.
A criminal inquiry has been launched.
Local fire service officials told Tass that many unregistered homes for the elderly were operating across Russia. As such, they were considered private property and not be subject to fire safety inspections.
In 2018, 60 people – including 37 children – died in a leisure centre fire in Kemerovo.
