Ukraine says ‘senior’ Russian officers killed in missile attack on Black Sea Fleet in Crimea

KYIV – Ukraine on Saturday said dozens, including senior Russian navy commanders, died or were injured when it staged

a missile attack on Moscow’s Black Sea Fleet headquarters

in the Crimean port of Sevastopol a day earlier.

Ukraine struck the headquarters on Friday, sparking a huge fire.

“The details of the attack will be revealed as soon as possible, and the result is dozens of dead and wounded occupants, including senior fleet commanders,” the Ukrainian army said.

It said the strike happened when “a meeting of the Russian Navy’s leadership” was going on.

Kyiv’s intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov claimed in comments to Voice of America that the attack killed “at least nine people”, including generals. AFP was not able to verify this information.

Lieutenant-General Budanov declined to say if Western-made missiles were used in the attack.

On another front, Ukrainian commanders said the use of heavy weapons supplied by the West in the fierce battle raging on the outskirts of Bakhmut, which was captured by Russia in May, is inflicting a significant toll on enemy lines.

Buoyed by the capture last week of the key village of Klishchiivka, Ukrainian troops have lauded the 155mm howitzers as key equipment provided by the United States and its Nato allies.

One unit commander who asked to be named only as Oleksandr said Ukraine’s armed forces “very much rely” on heavy artillery, including the Polish-made Krab gun and the US-made M109 self-propelled howitzer.

“Even one gun can completely turn the situation around. An attack can be stopped with one such gun,” he said.

“The main thing is to aim where needed. They (the Russians) hate our hardware. That is what we gather from our intercepts. We hear that we keep giving them hell, and they keep wondering how much ammunition we have left.”

Oleksandr, 30, described Klishchiivka – a village on the heights south of the devastated town of Bakhmut – as “one of the places they (the Russians) were clinging to”.

“We will see what’s next. We will develop our success,” he said.

Ukrainian General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, meanwhile, told CNN that Kyiv’s army has broken through Russian lines in southern Ukraine, in the latest claims that it is making progress in the Zaporizhzhia area.

Ukraine launched its counteroffensive to claw back territory from Russian forces in June.

Progress has been slower than expected, with heavily mined territory. But Kyiv has in recent weeks reported making strategic advances in Zaporizhzhia.

“On the left flank (near the village of Verbove) we have a breakthrough and we continue to advance further,” Gen Tarnavskyi said.

He acknowledged the advance had been slower than Ukraine hoped.

“Not as fast as it was expected, not like in the movies about the World War II,” he said.

But he said it was important “not to lose this initiative”.

In August, Kyiv declared a strategic victory when it recaptured the southern village of Robotyne.

Gen Tarnavskyi said a major breakthrough for the counteroffensive would be if Kyiv recaptured the city of Tokmak – some 20km from the front line – which fell to Russian forces at the start of their invasion.

Retaking Tokmak would allow Ukrainian forces to push further towards occupied Melitopol and annexed Crimea.

“I think it (a breakthrough) would happen after Tokmak,” he said, but warned, “at the moment (Russian forces) are relying on the depth of their defensive line there.” AFP, REUTERS