Ukraine said it destroyed a Russian air defense compound on the western coast of Crimea, stepping up military pressure alongside efforts to cut off Moscow’s land route to resupply the strategic peninsula it annexed in 2014.
(Bloomberg) — Ukraine said it destroyed a Russian air defense compound on the western coast of Crimea, stepping up military pressure alongside efforts to cut off Moscow’s land route to resupply the strategic peninsula it annexed in 2014.
Ukraine’s Security Service and the country’s navy targeted a Russian S-400 “Triumph” missile complex overnight, a person with knowledge of the joint operation said Thursday.
Ukrainian drones first damaged radars and antennas for the air defense unit near Yevpatoriya, a city on the western coast of Crimea. Then two Neptune cruise missiles destroyed the launching units, the person said.
The air defense complex may have cost as much as $1.2 billion, according to the person.
Read more: Russia Says Ukraine Hit Crimean Shipyard in Missile Strike
Russia reported downing 11 drones over Crimea during the night, even as its officials didn’t mention the attack on the missile compound. Local social media channels circulated videos of a large illuminated plume of smoke and powerful explosions, apparently in the area near Yevpatoriya.
Last year, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reposted on social media a photo it said was of Russian air defense positions near Yevpatoriya taken by a “really helpful” tourist. Radio Liberty reported in August that it had discovered a number of publicly available pictures and videos, which could be used to help locate military targets.
Ukraine last year used Neptune missiles developed by its own military to sink Russia’s Black Sea fleet flagship, the Moskva.
Last night’s attack came just a day after Ukrainian missiles hit a shipyard in Crimea, damaging two navy vessels and wounding at least 24 people, while Russia continued to target Ukrainian port facilities with drones.
(Updates with earlier report of social media photos of military targets.)
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