Europe

Ukraine war: ‘Sabotage’ attack launched on Sevastopol, says occupation governor

Russia claims to have destroyed three uncrewed boats in the Black Sea off the Crimean peninsula

Firefighters battle a fire in a house hit by shelling that killed a man and injured a woman in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, on October 24th, 2023. Photograph: STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images

Rachel Hall
Charlie Moloney
Warren Murray
Tue Oct 24 2023 - 11:56

Russian naval forces destroyed three uncrewed Ukraine-launched boats in the northern part of the Black Sea off the Crimean peninsula, Russia’s defence ministry said on Tuesday.

“Anti-sabotage missiles and bombs hit the area where the unmanned boats were detected,” the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app.

It added that an anti-mining and an “anti-sabotage” operation was being carried out off Sevastopol port, which is home to Russia’s Black Sea fleet.

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula, said it was likely a Ukrainian “underwater sabotage” attack.

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It was not immediately clear whether the incident caused any casualties or damage. Reuters could not independently verify the report.

Elsewhere, two people have died and a further 14 were injured, including one child, in Russian shelling of Kherson, the local governor claims. Oleksandr Prokudin, posting on Telegram, said Russia had launched 101 attacks, firing 597 shells over the past day.

The Defence Ministry of Ukraine claimed on Tuesday morning that Russia had lost 295,510 personnel, an increase of 810 since Monday.

It claimed the losses included 5,105 tanks, 7,081 artillery, 320 aircraft and 9,447 vehicles and fuel tanks.

In Russia, the Kremlin has rejected speculation about Vladimir Putin’s health, saying the president is fit and well.

In a regular call with reporters, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, also denied suggestions the Russian leader was using body doubles, calling them an “absurd hoax”.

Journalists had asked Mr Peskov about the Russian leader’s health after an unsourced report by a Russian Telegram channel, picked up by some western media, claimed the president had experienced a serious health episode on Sunday evening.

Separately, Mr Peskov said the Kremlin was aware of a new package of western sanctions being prepared against Moscow over its military actions in Ukraine but they could not frighten Russia. – Guardian

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