If confirmed, the death of Admiral Sokolov would mark one of Kyiv's most significant assaults on Crimea since Russia's controversial annexation of the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, Reuters reported.
Ukraine's special forces stated on Telegram that "following the assault on the Russian Black Sea Fleet's central command, 34 officers, inclusive of the fleet's commander, were killed. An additional 105 personnel, [referred to as 'occupiers' by the Ukrainian authorities], sustained injuries. The headquarters structure is beyond repair".
In the aftermath of the strike, Russia's defense ministry reported that one of their servicemen remained “unaccounted for”. The ministry further noted that their air defense systems managed to intercept and neutralize five of the inbound missiles.
Recently, Ukraine has intensified its offensives in the Black Sea region and across the Crimean Peninsula, integrating missiles into their arsenal alongside assault drones. According to Reuters, Kyiv asserts that neutralizing Russia's Black Sea naval presence would considerably accelerate the conclusion of the conflict.
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Source: PAP, Reuters