Putin’s Black Sea Fleet HQ is hit in ‘Storm Shadow’ missile attack, sparking huge explosions in occupied Crimean port
A devastating Ukrainian missile attack hit the headquarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet today.
The Sevastopol headquarters building was reportedly hit by a Storm Shadow missile, the type supplied by Britain and France that can carry a nearly 1,000-pound nuclear warhead.
The Russian Defense Ministry has claimed that one person was killed in the attack. Initial reports suggested that six people had been injured.
Dozens of ambulances were reported at the headquarters in Sevastopol, the naval port in occupied Crimea.
The headquarters was on fire, had partially collapsed and had suffered “severe damage,” according to a report.
Debris from the rocket attack on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters was scattered over hundreds of meters.
The explosion was said to have been caused by a Storm Shadow missile
Video footage shows the building being destroyed
Smoke was seen coming from the building in Sevastapol
A top Russian official has admitted that the fleet’s headquarters suffered a missile attack
Shortly after the attack, parts of the building were on fire
The top of the Black Fleet headquarters building was severely damaged during the attack
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that five other missiles had been shot down, but one of them had penetrated defenses.
“According to preliminary information, the people who were on the streets at the time of the attack on the Black Sea Fleet headquarters were not injured,” said Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Putin-appointed governor of Sevastopol.
A fire continued to burn at the headquarters, the governor admitted.
Police cordoned off two blocks around the rocket-hit building.
“The enemies launched a rocket attack on the fleet headquarters,” Razvozhayev said.
He warned of the risk of a second attack and urged locals to stay away from the city.
‘A fragment (of a rocket) fell close to the Lunacharsky Theater. All emergency services arrived on site.
Russian officials warned the occupied city that another attack could be possible
At least six people are believed to have been injured as a result of the attack
The attack was one of the most important of the entire war, as was the sinking of the Black Sea Fleet’s flagship Moskva cruiser last year.
‘Information about the victims is being clarified. Please stay calm. And don’t post photos and videos.’
The occupation official said: ‘A new attack is possible. Please do not travel to the city center. Do not leave buildings.
“At the sound of the siren, anyone in the vicinity of fleet headquarters should move to shelters.
‘Employees from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations are working on site.
‘The fire brigade is taking all measures to extinguish the fire as quickly as possible. The build-up of forces and resources continues.’
Putin made no mention of the destruction of the headquarters in Sevastopol during a meeting with his military leaders
Prominent Russian pro-war blogger Vladimir Rogov said: “The headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol was attacked by Ukrainian missiles.”
He said the attack was carried out “by British Storm Shadow missiles,” although this was not immediately confirmed.
The attack was one of the most important of the entire war, as was the sinking of the Black Sea Fleet’s flagship, the cruiser Moskva, last year.
The Black Sea Fleet has been responsible for multiple missile attacks on Ukraine and plays a central role in Putin’s subjugation of about a fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Other explosions took place elsewhere in Crimea, including around the capital of the Simferopol peninsula.
Ukraine has previously used Storm Shadow and Neptune missiles to attack Crimea, as well as kamikaze drones.
Drones were shot down in the port of Sevastopol today.
The attack came as Vladimir Putin held a meeting of his Security Council on relations with neighboring countries.
He was heard skirting around the attack, mentioning only ongoing developments in “relations with our closest neighbors and partners.”