Smoke Rises Over Russian Black Sea Fleet HQ after Missiles Hit Crimea—Video

Suspected Ukrainian missiles have targeted the Russian Black Sea Fleet's headquarters in Sevastopol in occupied Crimea, marking another day of attacks on Russian naval command centers as Kyiv looks to force Moscow's forces from the peninsula.

Explosions were reported in Sevastopol on Friday afternoon, with videos and images from the scene showing clouds of white smoke billowing from the Black Sea Fleet headquarters building, which has previously been the target of suspected Ukrainian drone strikes.

One image published by the Trukha Ukraine Telegram channel appeared to show serious damage to the building's roof.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Friday morning that several missiles and drones had been destroyed over Crimea. "An attempt by the Kyiv regime to carry out a terrorist attack with aircraft guided missiles and UAVs on objects on the territory of the Russian Federation was stopped," the ministry said in a statement posted to Telegram.

The ministry did not allude to any missiles or drones having penetrated Russia's air defense umbrella and finding their targets, nor to any ground damage caused by falling debris from mid-air interceptions.

Newsweek reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry via email for comment.

Friday's apparent missile strike followed a Wednesday cruise missile attack on a naval command post close to Sevastopol and last week's cruise missile and drone bombardment of dry dock facilities in the strategic harbor which are thought to have destroyed two Russian military vessels.

Kyiv is increasing the tempo of attacks on Crimea in parallel with a major counteroffensive operation in occupied southern Ukraine. The goal of that operation is to sever the so-called "land corridor" connecting the peninsula to western Russia, thus isolating and imperiling the Russian forces holding Crimea.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been clear in his ambition to liberate the territory occupied and later annexed by Russian troops in 2014.

"It began with Crimea, it will end with Crimea," Zelensky said last August, quoting jailed Crimean activist Nariman Dzhelyal.

Western partners have expressed skepticism. In January, for example, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said: "that for this year it would be very, very difficult to militarily eject the Russian forces from all––every inch of Ukraine and occupied––or Russian-occupied Ukraine."

Observers have also speculated that Moscow may resort to weapons of mass destruction if faced with the possibility of losing control of Crimea, which is a cornerstone of President Vladimir Putin's neo-imperial myth-making.

But Ukrainian officials remain undeterred, bristling against any suggestion that they would cede territory to Russia in pursuit of peace.

"Only we, the Ukrainian people, can decide what is to become of our territories, and an absolute majority of the population supports returning all the occupied regions without exception," Tamila Tasheva, who since April 2022 has served as President Volodymyr Zelensky's envoy for the occupied peninsula, told Newsweek in July.

"Ukraine will not give up, and will not barter its own territorial integrity for some promise of NATO or EU ascension," Tasheva said.

Update 09/22/23, 9:22 a.m. ET: This article was updated with a new photo.

Update 09/22/23, 7:49 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information and a new photo.