Russia’s defense ministry said early on Wednesday that a Russian Black Sea Fleet frigate had attacked Ukraine’s military infrastructure with four cruise missiles.
“The crew of a frigate of the Black Sea Fleet received a task of launching a strike with Kalibr cruise missiles in the shortest possible time against enemy military infrastructure,” the ministry said on its Telegram messaging app.
No immediate comment was made by Ukraine about the infrastructure being hit overnight, and Reuters was unable to independently verify the claim.
Reuters could not immediately establish when the attack took place. A video of the reported attack published by the ministry on the Telegram showed a ship launching missiles during what it seemed like sunrise or dawn hours, but there was also a footage of daylight.
Ukraine’s navy said late on Tuesday that the Russian navy had kept two submarines with a total equipment of up to eight Kalibr missiles on combat duty in the Black Sea as of Tuesday evening.
“The missile threat level is high,” Ukraine’s navy said on its Telegram messaging app.
The Black Sea has become a crucial theatre in the 21-month-long war. Ukraine’s increased air and sea drone attacks on Russian military targets there have damaged ship and naval repair yards in the port of Sevastopol, and struck other targets.
Moscow uses its fleet in the Black Sea to launch long-range strikes on Ukraine. But for President Vladimir Putin, the waters – which connect to the Mediterranean Sea – are also an important springboard for projecting power into the Middle East, Europe and the West.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv’s ability to strike warships and diminish Russian surveillance in the Black Sea have undermined Russia’s war efforts and helped Ukraine to secure a shipping route to export its grain.
